Cerro Porteno starlet Diego Leon talks during an interview.
Manchester United are in talks to sign Diego Leon from Cerro Porteno.
Such are Manchester United's plans to solve Ruben Amorim's left wing-back problems, 17-year-old Diego Leon has been sounded out as a possible answer. Despite his age, the Paraguay wonderkid is catching the attention of clubs across the world.
United are understood to be one of them with direct talks over a transfer having started. Leon, who was born in 2007, only made his senior debut for Cerro Porteno in August.
His rise has been rapid since then. Leon has started 18 league games now this season after breaking into the team. It has lead United to join a host of sides in the race to sign him.
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A deal of just over £3million is being negotiated - with the defender rated as one of South America's very best. Picked out for his physicality at an early age of development, United are keen to add Leon to their ranks.
What else impresses about Leon? Well, according to ESPN's Paraguayan football expert Roberto Rojas, a tough start to life has seen him grow in stature and resilience already.
"He's a player with a lot of promise, who happened to make this big jump into the first team at Cerro Porteno so quickly," Rojas said to Transfermarkt. "As someone coming from a remote place [Yguazu, Alto Parana, around 250 miles from Paraguay capital Asuncion] and growing up in difficult circumstances, Leon has proven to be someone who can surpass that adversity to get to where he's been.
"He's definitely viewed highly because of his talent and recent performances for one of the biggest clubs in the country and occupying that left flank as a full-back has allowed him to be someone who can go onto the attack, start playing from the back and also be versatile."
Along with United, Arsenal have been linked with Leon. So too have Manchester City. The pathway directly from Paraguay to England is not a common one, though, with Julio Enciso of Brighton one of the rare examples.
Leon is showing great talent in his small sample size so far, scoring twice in his first three matches and becoming a regular starter at Porteno. The club have hit a tough patch more recently, however, losing the last three matches in Paraguay's top division.
Not involved against Libertad - incidentally Enciso's former club - Leon has played in five matches since their most recent league win. They are on a run of just three victories in 14 overall, losing eight. That stretch has seen them slip down the table to sixth out of 12.
United target Leon continues to impress for his age, regardless. His speed and acceleration have been marked out as key attributes. The Premier League giants are desperate to add players of this profile to their squad - while long-standing injury issues for Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw have halted their progress.