Manchester United have reportedly ‘agreed a fee’ to sign Diego Leon from Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno as Ruben Amorim’s first signing as head coach.
Amorim replaced Erik ten Hag as United boss last month and hasn’t had the best of starts, picking up just four points from his first four Premier League games having lost to Arsenal and Nottingham Forest in his last two.
Reports suggest he will have to work with the squad he’s got in the main with a shortage of funds available for January additions, but the club – now without Dan Ashworth, who was embarrassingly let go as sporting director this week after just five months in charge – are still looking to make low-cost signings.
‘Manchester United are in active talks with Cerro Porteno for 17 year old left back Diego León as talent for the future. Similar to Sekou Koné deal last summer, Man Utd keep looking at talents from abroad and $4m deal is being discussed also with León’s agents,’ Fabrizio Romano reported earlier on Wednesday.
And now Argentine journalist Cesar Luis Merlo claims United have had a bid of $4million (£3.15million) for Leon, who’s made 19 league appearances for the senior side this season, accepted by Cerro Porteno.
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According to Transfermarkt back in October, Leon was the 20th most valuable 17-year-old in world football, behind the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Lamine Yamal, and Chris Rigg.
Speaking to Transfermarkt, ESPN’s associate editor and Paraguayan football expert Roberto Rojas claimed Leon is “viewed highly”.
“He’s a player with a lot of promise, who happened to make this big jump into the first team at Cerro Porteño so quickly,” Rojas told Transfermarkt.
“As someone coming from a remote place (Yguazú, in Alto Paraná which is roughly 300 km from the capital Asuncion) and growing up in difficult circumstances, León has proven to be someone who can surpass that adversity to get to where he’s been.
“He’s definitely viewed highly because of his talent and recent performances for one of the biggest clubs in the country and occupying that left flank as a full-back has allowed him to be someone who can go onto the attack, start playing from the back and also be versatile.”
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United will also be looking to trim their squad in January, and it’s claimed Amorim has ‘sentenced’ three stars.
It is noted that Amorim ‘will have no mercy on players he considers do not have the necessary level to help United and has already put together a list of candidates to pack their bags next June, or even in January’.
The three stars being ‘forced’ to ‘pack their bags’ are Antony, Christian Eriksen and Marcus Rashford.
Regarding Rashford, the report claims the out-of-form England forward can ‘say goodbye’ and has been ‘offered’ to Barcelona.
‘Rashford, who in the past was considered the team’s main figure and the benchmark of the project, can also say goodbye to the Red Devils.
‘He has not been able to maintain the impressive level he showed in the past, and has also been heavily criticised for his life away from the pitch.
‘Amorim does not count on him, and one of the teams to which he has been offered is Barça, who could consider his incorporation.
‘Deco values the idea of giving a chance to the attacker born in 1997, who became one of the best in Europe in his position, although the price they are asking to open the doors to him is still unknown.’
