Man Utd swoop for Liverpool wonderkid on back of signing 2 City starlets

Manchester United are set to sign Liverpool wonderkid Isaac Konde from rivals on the back of bringing in two Manchester City starlets.

The attraction of the United academy is clear to see as recently they have been able to bring in a series of highly-rated youngsters from Premier League opponents.

And now Konde, 16, has opted to swap Merseyside for Manchester as he begins the next stage of his development.

The forward is expected to join Darren Fletcher’s Under-18 side once the move receives the necessary approval.

Capable of playing on either wing, or through the middle, Konde is said to have blistering pace and excellent close control. He played six times for Liverpool's U18s last season.

His arrival follows the signings of David Eze and Karim Cassim from City.

Eze, 16, is a defensive midfielder who has represented England at Under-16 and Under-17 level. Born in Dublin, he also holds a European passport.

United had been waiting for Premier League ratification of Eze and Cassim’s moves from City, with the league now having approved Eze’s transfer.

Cassim, another 16-year-old midfielder, was inadvertently spotted on the bench during MUTV’s coverage of United’s Under-18 victory over Charlton last month, effectively confirming his move.

At the time, United sources stressed that some paperwork still needed to be completed before the transfer could be considered official.

However, there were not expected to be any problems with Premier League ratification, with the relevant paperwork understood to have been filed around the same time as Eze’s.

Cassim’s move should therefore be formally confirmed imminently, while Konde is now set to become the latest young player to make the switch to Old Trafford.

United’s academy recruitment has been heavily influenced by Brexit rules, which significantly restrict the club’s ability to recruit youngsters from overseas.

As a result, United have become increasingly proactive in identifying and attracting promising players from other clubs within the UK.

The latest moves underline the continued appeal of United’s academy despite the faltering first team in recent years.

For young players, however, United can still offer an attractive pathway into senior football, with the club’s history of promoting academy graduates remaining a major selling point.

After bringing in striker Chido Obi and defender Ayden Heaven, both of whom have since played for the first-team, from Arsenal, they targeted Tynan Thompson in July.

The 18-year-old, who has already featured in Premier League 2 this season and was given a 45-minute appearance in the pre-season friendly with Leeds in Dublin, cost United £4m, with the fee potentially rising to £8m.