The Red Devils are locked in a high-stakes battle with Arsenal for Leicester’s teenage sensation as INEOS continues its aggressive recruitment drive to bolster the Carrington ranks.
Manchester United have been very busy this transfer window, especially with central midfielders.
Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba all joined the club, and the Red Devils awarded Carrington graduate Kobbie Mainoo with a new contract due to his performance on the back end of last season.
United have also been prioritising the future with some of their recent additions, with Santos and Baleba being only 22 years old, as well as the purchases of Cristian Orozco and Tottenham Hotspur's Tynan Thompson as ways to try and protect the Red Devils' promising future.
There is already a plethora of exciting young talents at Carrington, with JJ Gabriel, Shea Lacey and Jim Thwaites being some of the highlights of one of the best academies in the world, but United clearly think that they could do with sprucing up their young line-up.
United and Arsenal battling for Louis Page
According to The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell, Manchester United and Arsenal are battling it out for Leicester City's youngster Louis Page, with both sides seeming close to agreeing to strike a deal.
“That is still active – it is a case of United or Arsenal agreeing a fee with Leicester, is my understanding," said Whitwell.
Page was handed a good run of games in Leicester's Championship campaign, which saw them have an incredibly shocking back-to-back relegation, in which he featured 18 times in the league, with him only being 17 at the time.
At the start of Leicester's campaign in League One, he has only managed to play 13 minutes, coming on in a disappointing 2-1 loss to Burton Albion. However, his impending departure could be in the mind of Russel Martin's team selection.
Should United be buying players for the academy?
It could be understandably a concern for United fans if they begin to get the impression that the board don't believe in the current crop at Carrington and feel like they have to go into the transfer market to boost their youth prospects.
Of course, Page wouldn't be getting thrown into the deep waters of the first team straight away, finding his feet in the Under-21s first, but if United believe he could be a good addition, there is no reason not to pursue.
It could also be a good way to show their seriousness to other clubs if they are able to beat Premier League champions to Page's signature.
Signing players for the academy could also help Manchester United in the years to come. The signings they make now could save them millions down the line if they are good enough to play for the first team. And if they are not, United can benefit from the future sell-on.
