Manchester United will reportedly soon complete the deal to sign 17-year-old South American midfield prodigy Cristian Orozco from Colombian club Fortaleza CEIF.
According to a report by the Manchester Evening News, Cristian Orozco will be the latest highly-rated prospect to move to Manchester United once he turns 18 next summer. The Red Devils have secured a preliminary agreement to sign the South American midfield sensation, with the struggling Premier League giants identifying him as “an exciting young talent with first-team potential” for the club.
Who is Cristian Orozco?
Cristian Orozco is the latest promising prospect to rise in prominence in his homeland. Colombia has produced several top-notch players in the past decade, with their exploits helping Los Cafeteros produce many memorable campaigns in the World Cup and the Copa America.
Luis Ospina, James Rodriguez, Radamel Falcao, and Juan Cuadrado have been the flag bearers for Colombia for a decade, with Luis Diaz, Luis Suarez, and Daniel Munoz continuing that tradition in the last few years. However, the country is also producing many promising prodigies, with Orozco now rising in prominence.
The 17-year-old midfield sensation has made his mark with his exploits at the club level while donning the captain’s armband as Colombia reached the final of the under-17 South American championship this past summer. The Colombian wonderkid is already a first-team player for Fortaleza CEIF. So, it is hardly surprising that his exploits have alerted several European bigwigs, including Manchester United.
Premier League adventure beckons
Manchester United’s interest in Cristian Orozco is understandable. The Premier League outfit may have spent big to sign players aged 25 or lower for the first-team squad, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe has also continued the rich tradition of bolstering the youth division by landing world-class prodigies.
The struggling Premier League giants have signed Diego Leon this year, and recent reports have claimed that Mouhamed Dabo is closing in on moving to Old Trafford. The latest update has revealed that the Red Devils have secured a preliminary agreement to sign Orozco from Fortaleza CEIF.
As is the case with other transfers of underage players, the 17-year-old Colombian midfield sensation will not move to Manchester United until he turns 18. With Manchester United identifying him as “an exciting young talent with first-team potential” for the club, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the young holding midfielder.