CONFIRMED: Man Utd make wonderkid signing as first deal for 2026 announced

Manchester United have already completed their first signing for the summer 2026 transfer window, with a talented wonderkid on his way to Old Trafford.

Colombia U17 defensive midfielder Cristian Orozco has agreed to sign for the Red Devils from Fortaleza CEIF in a deal that mirrors that move that saw Diego Leon snapped up this summer.

Transfer insider Ben Jacobs says that Man Utd have a preliminary agreement in place to complete a deal, but Orozco cannot join the Premier League giants until he has turned 18. He will hit this milestone on 13 July, 2026.

Jacobs reports on X: “Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Colombia Under-17 international Cristian Orozco when he turns 18. The defensive midfielder captained Colombia as they reached the final of the Under-17 South American Championships last spring.”

Orozco a symbol of Man Utd’s new project

Man Utd’s move to sign Orozco showcases the efforts of the Old Trafford side to sign the best young talents from across the globe.

Orozco, who only joined Fortaleza in July from Rojo FC, has yet to make a senior appearance, which highlights how deep the Red Devils have had to dive to identify him as a transfer target and the lengths the club is going to in order to identify untapped talent.

The midfielder did impress during the U17 South American Championships, where he played five of Colombia’s six matches.

It is highly unlikely that Orozco will be signed immediately for United’s first-team panel when he finally moves to Manchester next summer.

The case of Diego Leon shows that while such young players are liable to get exposure to the top level via training, they are being signed with an eye towards their long-term development. The 18-year-old Paraguayan has twice made the bench for Ruben Amorim’s first team, but his only appearance in Man Utd’s colours was a Premier League 2 clash against Liverpool last weekend.

Orozco can look forward to being similarly introduced into the culture of the Premier League giants.

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