Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing Barcelona starlet Ilaix Moriba, whose contract with the Catalans expires in 2022.
According to a report from Spanish publication Mundo Deportivo, Premier League giants Manchester United have set their sights on Barcelona prodigy Ilaix Moriba and are ready with an offer to sign the teenage midfielder.
Moriba, 18, is a product of Barcelona’s famed La Masia youth academy and broke into the club’s B team in September 2019, but only became a regular for the side in the current campaign. And his development with the reserves caught the eyes of first-team manager Ronald Koeman, who handed him his senior debut in January earlier this year.
Having made his bow just a couple of days after he turned 18, Moriba has gone on to make four appearances for Barcelona across all competitions so far, contributing with a couple of assists as well in the process. And his progress seems to have alerted Manchester United, who are now eyeing a move for the teenage midfielder.
Manchester United have always been known for their propensity to bank on the club’s young talent, something that has once again come to the fore under current manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The likes of Mason Greenwood, Brandon Williams and more recently Shola Shoretire all made their senior debuts under the Norwegian.
Over the past year or so, the Red Devils have been aggressively recruiting quality talent to bolster their youth ranks to keep the supply-chain running, with 16-year-old Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty recently being linked, while also looking for youngsters who could walk right into the first-team squad, something that Amad Diallo has been able to do.
And Moriba, given the promise that he has shown this early in his career, is a player that would fit Manchester United’s profile. To that end, the 20-time English champions are already ready with an offer for the 18-year-old, whose contract with Barcelona expires in the summer of 2022.
Apart from Manchester United, Moriba is also courting interest from German Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig – another club that has recently become well-known for attracting and nurturing young talents.
However, the Barcelona teenager has no intentions of leaving the club currently. As per the report, the youngster is grateful to Koeman for handing him chances in the first-team and wishes to continue to be a part of the team. So, as things stand, Manchester United’s interest in Moriba might not lead to the desired outcome for the English giants.
