Man United join Arsenal in Blackburn Rovers transfer chase - Liverpool, Leeds United & Newcastle are circling | OneFootball

Man United have held talks with the 17-year-old in a bid to sign him this summer

Manchester United have had discussions with Blackburn Rovers youngster Igor Tyjon in a bid to try and beat Arsenal to his signature.

According to TEAMtalk, the teenage starlet is attracting interest from the Premier League giants amid his refusal to sign a professional deal with the Lancashire outfit.

The teenager will turn 18 next month, but he has been eligible to sign a full-time contract at Ewood Park since March 2025 when he became a 17-year-old.

Tyjon has already made his Championship debut, which came in September 2024 under John Eustace's management, but he has not made a single appearance in the team this season - perhaps due to the uncertainty around his future.

And despite coming through the club’s academy system, a departure in the summer for Tyjob for a nominal fee or via a tribunal is looking increasingly likely at this stage.

Man United looking to lure Igor Tyjon away from Blackburn Rovers

As reported by TEAMtalk, Man United are now pushing for the signature of Tyjon this summer ahead of rivals Arsenal.

The Gunners are still considered the favourites to sign the youngster when his contract expires at the end of the season, but the Old Trafford outfit have held talks with the player to try to persuade him of a move to the Red Devils.

United have reportedly shown him a player development path as part of their bid to sign him. However, Arsenal and Man United now also have to deal with emerging interest from Liverpool, Leeds United and Newcastle United.

It remains to be seen where Tyjon’s final destination will be, but it is clear that there is an intense interest in agreeing a deal to sign him this summer from a number of Premier League clubs.

With the player set to be a free agent, they will still have to negotiate terms with Blackburn on a possible fee due to his age, but if no agreement can be found then an independent tribunal will resolve the matter.

Rovers clearly believe though they can get a decent fee for wantaway Tyjon, having rejected in excess of £1 million for the teen from Arsenal during the January window.

Igor Tyjon situation is unfortunate for Blackburn Rovers - Premier League lure though makes sense

Football - FA Barclaycard Premiership - Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United - Ewood Park - 1/5/04 General View of Ewood Park Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Smith

Blackburn have developed a lot of exciting young talent in recent years, with Adam Wharton being the most obvious example, but it will be a real shame to lose Tyjon at this stage of his career - especially when it's going to be for so little in terms of financial compensation.

The versatile attacker, who can play as a centre-forward or as a number 10, possesses a lot of potential, and there was a reason he was given a chance last season at the age of just 16.

But given the interest in him already, the youngster must see an opportunity to play at the highest level, and the top academies in the country - even if their isn't a clearer pathway to first-team football - are always going to be hard to turn down.

While he won’t go straight into any of these clubs’ first-team squads, they all offer a pathway to the Premier League for Tyjon unlike Blackburn right now, and perhaps that is why he's been turning down Rovers' contract offers since he turned 17.