Expected to sign next summer
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Manchester United’s performance on the pitch has been disappointing this season, as Rúben Amorim’s tenure continues to face challenges. However, the recruitment team is actively working to secure promising talent for the future. Reports indicate that the Red Devils have completed a deal to bring 17-year-old Colombian midfielder Cristian Orozco from Fortaleza. The transfer is expected to cost around €850,000 and will take effect next summer.
United has struggled in the holding midfield position. Casemiro is no longer at his peak and is finding it difficult to keep pace with the demands of the Premier League, while Uruguayan Manuel Ugarte has not yet made an impact at Old Trafford. It is unlikely that Orozco will join the first team immediately; instead, he will probably spend time adjusting in the youth setup as he adapts to life in a new country. Nonetheless, United may be signing a future star. Here’s more on Orozco, with insights from Colombian expert, Transfermarkt.
What can Cristian Orozco bring to Old Trafford?
Having just turned 17 in July, Orozco has already represented Colombia’s U17 team nine times. Samuel Vazquez Rivas, Transfermarkt’s Area Manager in Medellin, provides insight into the talents that United is acquiring: “Orozco is a leading presence in midfield. He is physically robust and dominant defensively. As the captain of the Colombian U-17 national team, he has also been called up for the U-20 squad.” Remarkably, the Red Devils are signing a player who has yet to make his senior club debut.
“Despite his time with the Colombian youth teams, he hasn’t made a professional appearance for Fortaleza, so he’s not widely recognized in Colombia,” says Vazquez Rivas. It’s a remarkable achievement to move to one of the world’s top clubs without any senior matches under his belt, but Man United’s Head Scout Giuseppe Antonaccio played a crucial role in the acquisition. “He is a natural recuperator who often initiates plays from deep, making him the backbone of his team,” Vazquez Rivas adds. Manchester United will hope they have discovered another South American talent poised for greatness.
