Left-back joins the Red Devils from Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno
Manchester United have completed the signing of teenage left-back Diego Leon from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno, finalising a deal that was in place since January.
The 18-year-old made his professional debut last August and arrives at Old Trafford for a reported fee of £3m, with an additional £600,000 in performance-related bonuses.
The move was agreed in principle in January but could not be completed until after Leon turned 18 in April, in line with FIFA transfer regulations.
United confirmed on Saturday that Leon will be integrated into both their academy and first-team environments as he settles in. While he is expected to begin the season with the Under-21s, the club have not ruled out a rapid promotion to senior involvement should he impress.
Leon made 33 senior appearances for Cerro since breaking into the side last year, scoring four goals. Known for his attacking instincts and physicality, the full-back has been compared to former Real Madrid and Brazil star Marcelo.
“I’m really happy, I think every player dreams of this,” Leon told Paraguayan outlet Versus before leaving for England.
“When you’re a professional, you have to adapt quickly, it is a massive opportunity. Everyone thinks I’ll go out on loan, but I don’t have that mindset. I’m going to kill it in pre-season and within one or two games, I’ll already be playing with them.”
His former manager at Cerro, Manolo Jimenez, said: “I saw his strength and quality and threw him into the first team. Physically he’s a prodigy. He has incredible potential, with a strong attacking game and the capacity to score goals.”
