Man United have signed a handful of youngsters with high potential from abroad over the last two years.
Manchester United are set to announce the signing of Colombian teenager Cristian Orozco this week.
United reached an agreement with Fortaleza CEIF to sign Orozco nine months ago, but the deal outlined that he would join in the summer transfer window, as he needed to be 18 to complete the move.
Orozco is not an immediate signing for the first team. However, United have paid around $1million (£750k) because they believe he possesses the potential to eventually reach the first team.
Orozco will join up with the Under-21s to be assessed by United coaches. He arrived in Manchester over a week ago to settle into his new surroundings ahead of his transfer being rubber-stamped on Monday.
United’s deal for the midfielder is the latest in a string of transfers for talented young players with high potential, a strategy that Ineos rolled out after taking control of the club’s football operations.
Sekou Kone was signed from Mali, Diego Leon was scouted from Paraguay, while Enzo Kana-Biyik arrived from the renowned academy of French club Le Havre AC last summer.
United have always signed young players to add to their academy, but the profile of targets has evolved, with the club looking further afield due to Brexit rules which prevent them from signing players under the age of 18 from Europe.
United must wait until a player from Europe turns 18 before acting on their interest, as was the case with Kana-Biyik. However, players are usually tied down and more difficult to sign by that stage of their career.
That has led United to explore markets they were otherwise not active in, and the transfers are essentially low risk and potentially high reward.
The best-case scenario is that the young players reach the first team, and the worst-case scenario is often that they are sold for profit if they fail to do so.
Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) have been a huge factor and some Premier League clubs are buying young players with the intention of making a profit on their sale in a few years’ time.
United sources have stressed that each of the club’s deals for young players has been due to those talents having been identified as having first-team potential, but the reality is that making a breakthrough can be difficult.
Kone and Leon have not made their first-team debuts for United. Ruben Amorim named Kone in three Premier League matchday squads in 2024/25 when injuries reduced options, but he was not given any minutes.
The midfielder was sent on loan to Ineos-owned FC Lausanne-Sport in January and was dealt a blow shortly after joining as he was not included in their UEFA Conference League squad for the second half of the campaign.
Kone has been sent back to Lausanne to spend pre-season with the Swiss club this summer. Another loan move to Lausanne has not been confirmed yet, but it’s highly likely he will re-sign on a season-long deal.
Although Leon was unveiled alongside Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko last summer, he played exclusively in academy fixtures last season.
Leon was included in squads against Manchester City, Brentford and Sunderland between September and October, however, he then did not make the bench for a first-team game for the remainder of the campaign.
There have been glimmers of potential from Leon during academy matches, but he is still raw and does not look ready for the first team, meaning a loan would be the best option for the defender.
United should be guaranteed to make a profit on Kone down the line, given he was signed for around £1m, but the deal to sign Leon from Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno was worth more (£3.3m fee, rising to £7m with add-ons).
It’s going to be fascinating to see how the next few years pan out for both players, who certainly have time on their side. Fans should also keep an eye on Orozco’s development, as he is the latest signing of that mould.
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