Manchester United are set to complete the signing of the talented young midfielder they agreed to sign last year.
Christian Orozco pictured with the Colombia U17 national team
Manchester United will officially announce the signing of Christian Orozco when his move is completed this month. Last year, United reached a preliminary agreement with Fortaleza CEIF that would see Orozco sign in the summer window.
Orozco will celebrate his 18th birthday on July 13, when United can officially register him as a player. The midfielder will arrive in Manchester before that date to acclimatize and be ready to take to the field on the 13th.
Last year the Reds announced similar signings in Sekou Kone, Diego Leon and Enzo Cana-Biyika. Koné and Leon spent the season with the U21 national team after joining clubs in Mali and Paraguay respectively. Kan-Biyik was immediately sent on loan to Ineos-owned Lausanne Sport, but he arrived from France.
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Having come through the Le Havre academy, Kana-Biyik already had experience playing in European football, which allowed him to be sent out on loan, but Kone and Leon were given time to gain strength, having arrived from different continents.
Orozco is expected to require a similar adjustment period as he settles into Manchester after moving from Colombia. United will provide the young man with English lessons.
United signed Orozco because they believed he had first-team potential, but Kone, Leon and Cana-Biyik were all of the same type and none had yet to make their first-team debut for United.
The club’s recent acquisitions of young players from overseas with high potential are seen as low-risk and high-reward.
United have increased their academy recruitment in recent years due to Brexit rules which prevent them from signing players from Europe.
Last season, Orozco played for the CEIF Fortaleza first team. He was included in 11 senior teams, where he came off the bench twice in Colombia’s top flight and also started twice.