Manchester United are nearing the completion of a deal to sign highly-rated 16-year-old winger Samuel Lusale from Crystal Palace.
The Slovakian teenager is set to join United’s academy as the club looks to bolster its youth ranks with top talents.
Lusale has been a standout performer at the youth level, representing Slovakia in the Under-17 European Championship in May and featuring in Crystal Palace’s FA Youth Cup squad last season. He joined Palace at the age of 13 and is represented by Roc Nation, the talent agency founded by rapper Jay-Z.
On Roc Nation’s website, Lusale is described as “a quick, dynamic winger who is regarded as one of the most exciting attacking players in the UK at under-16 level. Comfortable playing off the right or left wing, his electrifying pace and direct running with the ball make him a constant threat to the opposition’s defence. He is often the source of goals and assists for his team.”
The addition of Lusale is part of a broader strategy by United to strengthen their academy with promising young players. The club is already in the process of signing Scotland youth international Camron Mpofu from Reading. Additionally, Silva Mexes, the 14-year-old son of former Cardiff and West Brom striker Rob Earnshaw, has joined from Ipswich, and Australian James Overy, 16, has also been added to the academy.
United’s youth recruitment strategy has had to adapt to Brexit regulations, which prohibit English clubs from signing players under the age of 18 from overseas clubs. Consequently, United have focused on acquiring domestic talents. This has included bringing in players like Alejandro Garnacho, Willy Kambwala, Alvaro Fernandez, and Marc Jurado in 2020, just before the new regulations took effect.
More recently, Jack and Tyler Fletcher were signed from Manchester City last summer, and Harry Amass joined from Watford. Jack Fletcher and Amass were integral to United Under-18s’ success last season, helping them win the Premier League Northern Division, the National Final, and the Premier League Cup. Tyler Fletcher, however, was limited to five appearances due to injury. With the addition of Samuel Lusale, United continue to build a robust pipeline of young talent, aiming to ensure the club’s future success by nurturing and developing the next generation of football stars.
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