Manchester United have reached "a verbal agreement” to sign Paraguayan left-back Diego León from Cerro Porteno, according to reports.
Leon, 17, would be the first recruit of the Ruben Amorim era if a deal is completed. The club are yet to confirm the transfer.
On Friday morning, journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed the news on X.
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"Initial fee will be $4m plus $1m easy add-ons and over $3.5m based on player’s/team future performances," he wrote.
"Diego León will arrive in July 2025."
Of course, the left side of defence is a problem area for United currently.
Usual left-back Luke Shaw suffered an injury setback ahead of United's 2-0 loss away at Arsenal last week, with Amorim opting for Diogo Dalot as a left wing-back in most Premier League games, despite the Portuguese featuring on the right flank for most of his career.
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Tyrell Malacia started on the left during last night's 2-1 win at Viktoria Plzen. It is unclear what role Leon would have in United's side but, given his age, he would likely see his minutes managed as he develops.
The signing of Leon would align with United's recent 'transfer policy' of recruiting players aged 26 or under.
The starlet has impressed during his debut season, having scored the winner on his competitive debut back in August.
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Leon, known for his blistering pace and physicality, previously attracted the interest of Manchester City and Arsenal, but United looked to have won the battle to sign him.
Earlier this week, Leon opened up about the prospect of moving to the Premier League during an interview with Deportes Uno.
"I have huge expectations about playing in the 2025 Libertadores," he said.
"I’ve read about Manchester United’s link with me, I don’t know anything. Everything is handled by my agent."
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"I spent four years preparing for this opportunity, you have to take advantage of it when it comes," he added.
"Now I’m thinking about everything that happened this season. The night before the debut I couldn’t sleep because of the excitement."
The player does not turn 18 until April 2025, with Cerro Porteno vice president Juan Carlos Pettengill suggesting a summer move would be most likely.
Topics: Manchester United, Transfer News, Ruben Amorim, Premier League, Fabrizio Romano
Luke Davies