The season has only begun, but with limited first-team opportunities at Manchester United, Diego Leon’s representatives are considering potential moves elsewhere to aid the left-back’s development.
Manchester United’s dire start to the season means pressure is mounting on Michael Carrick. The results have been abysmal, but to make matters worse, injuries have hit the squad in areas lacking senior cover.
One of the most problematic areas of the team is the left-back. Luke Shaw cannot be expected to play every week, yet he’s the only senior left-back in the squad. Harry Amass has played just 29 minutes for the first team this season and regularly gets overlooked for right-backs or centre-backs being shoehorned into the role.
Further down the left-back chain in the United academy is Diego Leon, who arrived from Cerro Porteno last summer. He is still acclimating to Adam Lawrence’s U21s squad and waiting to make his debut.
Diego Leon could leave Man Utd in January
It doesn’t look like Leon is getting any closer to the first team, despite United’s problems at left-back. The 19-year-old has time on his side as he continues his development in the academy.
That said, Leon will be eager to kick on and hopefully speed up that development. One way to do that is by going out on loan and experiencing first-team football elsewhere. United send many players out on loan each season.
The Paraguayan could leave United when the January transfer window opens, unless there is a concrete projection for the youngster to get first-team minutes. It doesn’t sound like there are any plans to leave permanently.
Speaking to 730 AM, Leon’s agent Renato Bittar revealed that Leon will likely seek a loan move away from United in January. He said (via El Nacional): “A loan to a team where he can compete, get playing time, and then return to Manchester.”
Bittar was quizzed on potential destinations for Leon. He mentioned the Championship, League One and other European leagues, as Leon intends to stay in Europe rather than return to South America. A loan move – even to League One – would be beneficial if it meant Leon played every week. It would also get him used to English football, even at a lower tier.