Man City could now make serious move for teenage talent just days after he was linked to Man Utd

Manchester United will face stiff competition if they launch a pursuit to sign Brazilian teenager Eduardo Conceicao.

Premier League clubs like Chelsea and Man City have taken advantage of their scouting networks in South America in recent years.

Manchester United are starting to do the same after signing Diego Leon from Paraguay and agreeing a deal to sign Cristian Orozco.

Judging by reports, United are keeping their eye on the South American market, after being linked with 16-year-old Eduardo Conceicao this week.

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Man City keen on Man Utd-linked Eduardo Conceicao

At the age of 16, Conceicao is already considered among the brightest talents in Brazilian football. It’s no wonder clubs like United are knocking on his door, despite knowing he cannot move to Europe until he is 18.

The wonderkid impressed United scouts as they watched Brazil at the U17 World Cup in November. It was recently suggested that United had entered the £34 million race for the youngster.

That same report linked Conceicao with multiple clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool.

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A new update from Bruno Andrade suggests Man City could make a move for Conceicao in the next few days after sending scouts to a U17 tournament.

“Regarding that information from Felipe about Eduardo Conceição, recently there was the South American U-17 Championship,” Andrade told ESPN Brasil.

“Brazil were knocked out in the semi-finals, and Colombia ended up winning. And of course, whenever there’s a major youth tournament like U-17 or U-19, hundreds of scouts from all over the world are watching and tracking these young players.

“As for Manchester City and the City Group, there’s an interesting detail from a conversation with someone connected to the City Group, closer to Manchester City. It might help explain why they could soon sign one or more players from that U-17 South American tournament.

“That’s because City sent three scouts and their head of recruitment to the tournament. Usually, they send one or two at most, and rarely the head, normally it’s more junior staff focused on performance analysis. But for this tournament, which Colombia won against Argentina in the final while Brazil lost in the semi-finals, the information I have is that City sent four professionals in total.

“So my interpretation, based on conversations with other scouts and people in the market, is that if the City Group sends that many people, it’s because they’re not just observing, they’re seriously looking to close deals. In the coming days or weeks, we might see movement.

“Whether it’s Eduardo Conceição, that remains to be seen—but that’s the extra insight on top of Felipe’s information.”

It seems the race to sign Conceicao is heating up, but it’s a lot of money for a 16-year-old. Only time will tell how serious United are about doing a deal for the teenager.

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One Brazilian out, another in?

United will lose Casemiro at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Although Matheus Cunha will be at United next season, the Red Devils will be without a key Brazilian influence in Casemiro.

United could look to sign another Brazilian in the summer. Still, even if a deal is agreed for Conceicao, he will have to wait until his 18th birthday to be welcomed properly to Carrington.

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