Mouhamed Dabo was on trial with Manchester Unitedplaceholder image
Mouhamed Dabo was on trial with Manchester United | X: @CompsMU
The latest Man Utd transfer news as they look to refresh their midfield next year.
Manchester United rejected the opportunity to sign Mouhamed Dabo after his recent trial period with the club. The 17-year-old spent time on trial with United earlier in the season and made a positive impression on staff, but was not rewarded with a contract. He has since signed a pre-contract agreement with Croatian second division side NK Kustošija.
Dabo recently featured for Senegal at the U17 World Cup where Uganda knocked them out in the Round of 32 after they had topped their group. He has yet to make a senior appearance in his career but featured 14 times for Bsport U21s last season, where he played mainly as a defensive midfielder.
United regularly take youth prospects on trial, and it is common for them to leave the club without being offered a deal. Even if he had impressed, Dabo would not have been able to join the club until next summer, when he had turned 18, though he could have signed a pre-contract agreement.
Read More
Why United did not sign Dabo
Manchester United considered a deal for Mouhamed Dabo but decided he was not what they were looking for in their ongoing midfield refresh.
United are aiming to become more proactive with their international scouting and explore untapped markets that represent better value for money. There is a hope that by acting quickly, United can secure potential future stars for much smaller fees than if they had to buy them from another European club further down the line.
United have already reached an agreement to sign Colombian teenage midfielder Cristian Orozco from Fortaleza FC for an initial $1 million (£740,000). The 17-year-old has been in England this week to sign his pre-contract agreement and meet club staff, but will only officially move to Manchester when he turns 18 in July 2026.
He is set to follow in a similar path of Paraguayan defender Diego Leon who joined from Cerro Porteño an initial fee of around £3.2m, with add-ons that could eventually see it rise to as much as £7m. The teenage defender has been given time to settle in Manchester but could be allowed to leave on loan next month.
The club also utilised their revamped international scouting department when they signed Sekou Kone from Malian side Guidars FC on the transfer deadline day of the summer window last year, for an initial fixed fee in the region of £1.2 million, with a number of performance-related add-ons also included. He was named on the first-team bench three times last season for Premier League away matches against Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Nottingham Forest.
Continue Reading