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Manchester United have managed to keep Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle at bay to seal one of their coveted your stars at the club.
The United academy is already set to nurture some truly exciting prospects already with more being signed to their ranks over the last few weeks.
Silva Mexes, who’s father Robert Earnshaw represented Wales and played for clubs such as Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion, was the first to sign this summer, being awarded the number 7 shirt after arriving from Ipswich Town.
Next came James Overy, who made a name for himself playing for Perth Glory in Australia before moving to England, with United beating teams like Leicester, Everton and West Ham United to the 16-year-old’s signature.
The most recent signing has been Camron Mpofu who joined Old Trafford from Reading, being awarded the number 9 shirt for the under-16s squad.
Now, Bendito Mantato has confirmed his future in the academy by signing a new scholarship deal at the club which will see him awarded with a professional contract when he turns 17.
Manchester Evening News have reported that over the last few months, United’s Premier League rivals have been trying to poach the 16-year-old who scored an impressive six goals with two assist in eleven games in the Under-18s Premier League.
If he had agreed to join another club, United would have been compensated for the transfer with a figure within the six-figure range due to their responsibility for his development up until this point.
The ‘Pre-Pro’ contract that Mantato has signed is a bit of a big deal, with these types of deals being reserved for the top prospects coming through the academy, setting the winger on a high pedestal already, showing what United think of the star and his future at Old Trafford.
