Revealed: Manchester City midfielder rejected Manchester United transfer in summer 2024 | OneFootball

One of Manchester City’s next generation midfielders rejected the opportunity to join Manchester United in the summer of 2024, it has been revealed.

City’s youth recruitment strategy has continued to reap rewards of long-term scouting and player development plans, with their successful pursuit of Sverre Nypan representing a major victory over several elite clubs.

The Norwegian wonderkid was one of Europe’s most sought-after teenage talents prior to his move to the Etihad Stadium earlier this year, and it now appears that City’s patience and professionalism paid off in crucial fashion.

At just 18-years-old, Nypan had already established himself as one of Rosenborg’s standout performers, drawing comparisons in his home country to Martin Ødegaard for his creativity, intelligence, and leadership. City’s interest stretched back more than a year, with reports at the time highlighting a complex competition involving top-flight English clubs.

After completing his £12.5 million move from Rosenborg in the summer, Nypan was immediately seen as a player for the future, joining Middlesbrough on loan in the Championship to gain senior English football experience before making his debut in August.

As reported in a wide-ranging article from MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, Sverre Nypan rejected an approach from Manchester United in the summer of 2024, before similar rejections were issued to both Celtic and Rangers, as well as ‘several’ Spanish and German clubs.

The report then points towards last winter’s ‘tour of Britain’ in which Nypan and those close to him, alongside his representative Rafaela Pimenta, were present in Erling Haaland’s private box at the Etihad Stadium to watch Manchester City’s win over Chelsea.

Nypan and his wider team then checked in with both Aston Villa and Arsenal, and while it appeared as though Manchester City were missing out on the midfielder, Gaughan reports that director of football Hugo Viana’s pathway plan convinced the Norwegian to join.

The revelation of Nypan’s rejection of Manchester United adds further intrigue to the rivalry between the two Manchester clubs in the market. It also reflects City’s increasingly influential recruitment model, where players are shown a clear route into the first team through a carefully managed development structure.

For Nypan, that strategy has already begun to take shape through his loan to Middlesbrough, echoing similar moves made by the likes of James McAtee and Tommy Doyle in recent years.

There remains curiosity within City circles about how quickly Nypan can adapt to the demands of English football and whether he could become part of Pep Guardiola’s senior setup as early as 2026.

Should his development continue at the current rate, the Norwegian could find himself following a similar trajectory to Oscar Bobb, another Scandinavian talent who caught Pep Guardiola’s attention through consistent performances in domestic and European competitions.