Report: Manchester United readying to sign Matthew Olosunde

The Daily Mail reports Manchester United is readying itself for a mid-winter shopping spree, and the club's wishlist includes 17-year-old Matthew Olosunde, a defender who was part of the USA U-17 men's national team's 2015 U-17 World Cup campaign and a Trenton-born product of the New York Red Bulls Academy.

Olosunde was first linked to United this summer, when he trained with the club during its preseason tour of the USA. That story, incidentally, was broken by The Daily Mail's Simon Jones: the same reporter bringing us the news that Man Utd is minded to get the young American signed up to a contract.

The deal isn't done yet. Jones reports United is "pressing ahead with discussions" with Olosunde. The report also states that the player has been "training with United on and off since the summer."

Tempting as it may be to frame this as RBNY carelessly allowing a young prospect to slip away, Once A Metro's Academy-watchers note Olosunde has spent much of the last year in IMG's residency program. Factor in ties to Manchester United that appear to have only grown stronger since the summer, and this looks a lot like a young player who knows where he wants to take his career. How much the Red Bulls could or should have done to influence him to stay with RBNY is a question that perhaps only Olosunde can answer.

The Daily Mail's report does concede any deal is subject to "work permits and international clearance." Olosunde isn't a Manchester United player yet. But it would seem he has been working for this opportunity for several months, and OaM wishes any Academy player well in achieving their career goals (insofar as they aren't somehow detrimental to RBNY).

Best of luck, Matthew. Hope this deal comes through for you.