Manchester United have agreed a four-year contract with teenage centre-back Jayden Ngwashi.
The Red Devils are determined to bolster their first-team squad this summer.
They have already signed Matheus Cunha, and Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo should join soon.
The club are also working on keeping hold of their best talents in the academy.
14-year-old wonderkid JJ Gabriel recently agreed to extend his stay after Jason Wilcox’s intervention.
Fabrizio Romano now reports that Ngwashi has followed suit by agreeing a four-year deal.
Despite proposals from English and European clubs, ‘he has decided to stay’ with the Red Devils.
United have transitioned to three at the back since Ruben Amorim took charge as the manager in November last year.
The change to a 3-4-2-1 formation has benefitted players such as Ayden Heaven, who arrived from Arsenal last winter.
With three starting centre-backs, Heaven has got the opportunity to prove his credentials and has already made an impression.
The 18-year-old’s breakthrough should act as an incentive for emerging central defenders coming through the academy.
Amorim has a good track record of developing young talents from his four-year spell in Portugal with Sporting Lisbon.
He was initially reluctant to do so at United, but eventually utilised the depth of the squad due to injuries and a hectic schedule.
The likes of Chido Obi and Harry Amass made their debuts alongside Heaven during the back end of the previous campaign.
Sekou Kone could be the next in line, having made the matchday squad on a few occasions last term.
A good pre-season would boost his prospects of getting promoted to the first-team squad.
Ngwashi has a long road ahead of him. He featured five times for the Under 18s last term and played twice in the Premier League 2.
If he were to make the right progress, he could break into the senior set-up in years to come.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com