Transfer News: Manchester United set to announce the signing of Italian defender
English Premier League (EPL) club Manchester United are set to announce the signature of the Italian centre-back Luca Ercolani.
The 16-year-old Ercolani has been on trials for United over the last few months. The Italian seems to have impressed the coaches at Carrington and has reportedly been offered a contract to join the Red Devils, according to Sport Romagna.
Ercolani is currently contracted to Italian Serie D side Forli and due to his age, the compensation of the signature will be decided by Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA).
The Italian posted several images of himself on his Instagram account at United’s Carrington training complex. One of the pictures also included him standing alongside Under-21 goalkeeper Kieran O-Hara.
If confirmed, Ercolani won’t be the first Italian teen to sign for the Premier League giant. United has brought in a number of Italian teenagers in the club’s history. In 2004, the Red Devils signed Giuseppe Rossi from Parma. Federico Macheda and Davide Petrucci arrived at Old Trafford in 2008.
Rossi showed promise in United’s 2005 title-winning reserves team and also scored four goals for the first-team. However, he was sold to Villarreal in 2007.
No United fan can forget 2009 when Macheda announced himself to world football by scoring a memorable stoppage-time winner on his debut against Aston Villa as a 17-year-old. He scored another winning goal against Sunderland to carry United to their 18th Premier League title.
Sadly, Macheda’s meteoric rise to stardom was short-lived and the Italian failed to make any further impressions leading to his departure in 2014.
Michele Fornasier, who won the 2011 FA Youth Cup with United, is currently playing for Pescara while his teammate Alberto Massacci never got off the mark and suffered with injuries at Old Trafford.
Meanwhile, it is being reported that the officials of United are forking out a move for Real Madrid’s midfielder Toni Kroos. The fee is supposedly in the region of £40 million (AU$83 million), as reported by Fichajes.
