Man United nearing double Man City academy swoop following behind-the-scenes reshuffle | OneFootball

Manchester United are closing in on a stunning double raid on Manchester City’s academy, with midfielders David Eze and Karim Cassim both understood to be on the verge of joining the Old Trafford club’s youth setup, as per a new report.

David Eze is regarded as one of the most exciting midfielders of his generation in English football, with the 16-year-old having established himself as a standout presence within City’s development system across multiple age groups while also earning recognition at international level, captaining the England Under-16 side and featuring regularly at Under-17 level.

Born in Dublin in March 2010 and raised in Manchester from the age of six, Eze retains strong Irish connections alongside his England youth commitments, and is understood to be open to the possibility of representing the Republic of Ireland internationally should his allegiances ultimately shift in that direction.

The departure is understood to have been driven by Eze’s own decision rather than any choice on City’s part, with the club having placed considerable value on his development and the move to Carrington representing a cross-city switch that will raise eyebrows both within and beyond the City Football Academy’s walls.

Karim Cassim, another 16-year-old midfielder, forms the second part of what would be a significant double blow for City’s youth setup, with the teenager understood to be at a similarly advanced stage in his agreement to join United’s academy system as the club continues its aggressive approach to domestic youth recruitment this summer.

Report: Arsenal beaten to Eze as United seal double City raid

According to the Daily Mail, United are now close to completing both signings, with Eze and Cassim set to leave the City Football Academy and continue their development at Carrington as part of a broader academy recruitment drive that has also seen the club complete the signing of Tynan Thompson from Tottenham and Cristian Orozco from elsewhere.

Arsenal had made a serious attempt to convince Eze to move to north London, submitting a formal offer that represented genuine competition for United’s pursuit – but the teenager has ultimately chosen to make the short journey across Manchester rather than relocate to the capital, a decision that represents a significant coup for the Old Trafford club’s recruitment team.

Eze cannot officially sign his first professional contract until he turns 17 in March 2027, meaning United’s agreement will initially be structured around a scholarship arrangement before professional terms can be formalised – a timeline that mirrors the deal Manchester City recently agreed with Mishel Nduka when signing the midfielder from Arsenal under comparable circumstances.

The double departure arrives just days after City confirmed the £10 million signing of Jeremy Monga from Leicester, underlining the competitive intensity of the English academy recruitment market at a moment when multiple Premier League clubs are investing heavily in the next generation of domestic talent.

What does the double loss mean for Man City’s academy?

Losing two highly-rated 16-year-old midfielders to a direct rival in the same window represents a significant setback for a City academy that has worked hard this summer to retain and attract talent, having beaten Arsenal to the signatures of both Mishel Nduka and Jeremy Monga within the space of a fortnight.

The departures of Eze and Cassim are a reminder that even a club of City’s standing and resources cannot retain every young player who passes through its doors, with the personal ambitions and preferences of 16-year-olds ultimately representing a factor that no sporting structure can entirely control.

Director of football Hugo Viana has spoken at length about the importance of the academy pipeline to Manchester City’s long-term model, and the task of ensuring that the players who remain – including Ryan McAidoo, Xavier Parker and the Samba brothers – are sufficiently supported to resist similar approaches from rival clubs will be one of the more consequential challenges facing the City Football Academy in the months ahead.

Whether United’s double swoop proves to be a one-off or the beginning of a more sustained period of competition between the two clubs’ academies in the local talent market remains to be seen, but the recruitment team at Carrington will regard landing two City academy players in the same window as a statement of genuine intent.