Manchester United appear to be in the race for a "wonderkid" this summer, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.
Ten Hag proves youth stands a chance at Old Trafford
Though it has been a disappointing campaign for the Red Devils, their bright sparks have largely come in the form of their young talents.
Alejandro Garnacho has become almost undroppable in Erik ten Hag's front line, while Kobbie Mainoo has done likewise in central midfield and has already seen his performances rewarded with an England debut over the most recent March international break.
There have also been Premier League appearances (though perhaps more due to necessity than choice) for centre-back Willy Kambwala and attacker Omari Forson.
United have previously missed out on young stars as a result of failing to offer first-team assurances, with Jude Bellingham a notable case in point when he turned down a move to Old Trafford in favour of a switch to Borussia Dortmund in 2019.
Manchester United's young talents in the Premier League
Player
Age
Appearances
Goals + Assists
Alejandro Garnacho
19
30
10
Kobbie Mainoo
18
18
2
Willy Kambwala
19
7
0
Omari Forson
19
3
1
But with Ten Hag in charge, that appears to have changed, and it is even reportedly a contributing factor in why he may keep his job at the end of the season despite finishing bottom of his Champions League group and on course to fail to qualify for next season's competition.
They remain in contention to lift the FA Cup, but that could only paper over the cracks of what has otherwise been a poor and inconsistent season. However, Ten Hag's youth policy could help them attract future stars once more.
Man Utd eyeing "wonderkid"
Now, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has given fresh insight into just that, in the form of League One sensation Baylee Dipepa, who was linked with a move to Old Trafford last month.
The 17-year-old is currently starring for Port Vale, where he has made 20 appearances this season, scoring three times and grabbing two assists in just 609 minutes of action. That has caught the eye of a whole host of clubs, and the Red Devils are firmly among them.
Speaking to Caught Offside, Romano confirmed that they have "followed and tracked" the teenage talent, but that any future move is currently uncertain.
“Finally on Man United, 17-year-old Port Vale wonderkid Baylee Dipepa has been followed and tracked by the United scouting team. Let’s see if they decide to proceed with negotiations, but it will depend on the new board they are building now, so we can just be patient on that one.”
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Port Vale chief Matt Hancock has already accepted that they may not be able to keep Dipepa should bids arrive, though he did reveal no official approaches had been made.
"We have had no official approaches or offers. We are not naive enough to think that someone who is playing ahead of Premier League forwards for England under-17s and then getting regular games and scoring in League One, won't have eyes on him. We will see what the future may hold."
That future may just be at Old Trafford.
