Manchester United’s summer transfer window is already off to a good start but their most exciting summer arrival might just be a player who signed in the winter.
Matheus Cunha’s early signing and a targeted chase of Bryan Mbeumo have ensured that Ruben Amorim will start the pre-season with at least two key cogs in attack.
A smaller squad, hopefully by the time pre-season arrives, also means that it is a golden opportunity for many youngsters to step up and stake their claim for a place next season.
One such player was signed back in January. While Patrick Dorgu came in and immediately became first-choice, and Ayden Heaven surprised everyone with his first-team readiness, the most excitingly unknown name signed in January is set to arrive this pre-season.
Man Utd will see Diego Leon arrive in the summer
Alongside Heaven and Dorgu, Diego Leon was confirmed as a Man Utd player, but he stayed in Paraguay with Cerro Porteno until the summer.
During that time, Leon worked on his game further which made him one of the most exciting prospects in world football.
The flying wing-back also played the South American version of the Champions League, Copa Libertadores, and didn’t look out of place.
READ: Who is Diego Leon, Man Utd to sign 17-year-old Paraguayan as Ineos add to youth dynasty
That, combined with international appearances for Paraguay U20s means he has kept busy, while almost certainly staying in contact with Man Utd.
Matheus Cunha and potentially Bryan Mbeumo will get the headlines like Dorgu and Heaven did in January, but Diego Leon has the exciting unknown feeling of having vast potential.
That’s where the pre-season comes in, where he can repeat what Heaven did mid-season and become the biggest surprise.
A crucial pre-season for Diego Leon
Leon is the kind of signing that United have rarely made in the last few years so it’s difficult to place his first-team prospects with any certainty.
He is in the middle of what Sekou Kone was and what Heaven was when they signed for the club.
While Kone was far away from first-team football due to coming straight from Mali, Heaven at least had English football experience so his breakthrough was easier.
Leon, on the other hand, doesn’t have English football experience but has played at a much higher level than Kone had before signing at Old Trafford.
Therefore, the pre-season becomes crucial for the Paraguayan because it will be his first chance to show Ruben Amorim that he doesn’t need time with the U21s or a loan.
If he impresses then, Amorim might think it’s worth keeping him around so he can take turns playing for the U21s with intermittent first-team appearances.
If Noussair Mazraoui is seen as an ideal centre-back and Luke Shaw can’t play as a wing-back anymore, then United could do a lot worse than let Harry Amass and Diego Leon fight for minutes behind Patrick Dorgu, who is raw too.
The trio can push each other to greater heights, while Dorgu’s ability to play on the right as well adds to Amorim’s tactical options.
A crucial pre-season awaits for Leon.
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