Manchester United are vying with Atletico Madrid to sign Liga de Quito midfielder Ederson Castillo, according to Bolavip.
The Red Devils have focused on signing young teenage talents in recent years and have already sealed an agreement with Fortalez CIEF for Cristian Orozco.
The 17-year-old Colombian has made a good impression at the junior level, and he will formally join Ruben Amorim’s side in the summer of 2026.
Bolavip now claim that United could battle it out with Atletico to purchase Castillo, who is among the many starlets in Ecuadorian football at the moment.
Arsenal recently confirmed the purchase of Edwin and Holger Quintero from Independiente Del Valle, and Castillo has been described as another top talent.
The midfielder only turned 17 today, and can’t be registered as a player by either United or Atletico until he turns 18. A transfer won’t occur until January 2027.
United eyeing more South American talents
Chelsea started the trend of pursuing multiple South American starlets under the BlueCo Group, and the theme has now spread among other elite European clubs.
Arsenal recently signed the highly-rated Quintero twins, who will join in the summer of 2027. United are now closely monitoring Castillo, who has been likened to Moises Caicedo in his country.
The 16-year-old is a defensive midfielder by trade. He has made just six appearances in the Ecuadorian top-flight, with four of those coming in the ongoing campaign.
He has averaged only 36 minutes per outing, but has fared decently. The youngster has completed 84 percent of his passes and has won 71 percent of his duels contested.
Castillo has also made almost two recoveries per game. He has chipped in with a solitary assist.
United obviously rate the youngster highly, but could face a bidding battle with Atletico for his services. The club could seek to negotiate a pre-transfer agreement.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com & Sofascore.com