Manchester United in talks to sign Louis Page from Leicester as fourth midfielder of the summer

Manchester United are in advanced talks with Leicester City over the signing of teenage midfielder Louis Page, with the Old Trafford club understood to have overtaken Arsenal in the race for his signature ahead of Tuesday’s 11pm deadline.

United have already committed £155m to midfield reinforcements this summer, bringing in Youri Tielemans, Andrey Santos and Carlos Baleba. Page would become a fourth central midfielder through the door, a remarkable volume of business in a single position.

The 18-year-old has graduated from Leicester’s under-21 setup to Russell Martin’s senior squad and has made four appearances for the Foxes this season. Leicester, who are playing in League One following relegation, are demanding more than £8m for his signature, and no agreement is yet in place.

One complication is Leicester’s home fixture against Plymouth on Tuesday evening, which could make it difficult to finalise paperwork before the window closes. There is also the possibility that Page could be loaned straight back to Leicester after any transfer, allowing him to continue playing regular senior football rather than featuring for United’s under-21 side.

Martin has spoken warmly about the player while hinting at the difficulty of keeping him. “Louis is a really fantastic young player,” the Leicester manager said. “Until something comes in that is really brilliant for the club and player and everyone is happy, then Louis stays and he’s in the squad. I’m really enjoying working with him.”

United manager Michael Carrick had played down the prospect of deadline-day activity after his side’s 5-2 win over Ipswich at the weekend. “I think the business we’ve managed to do, I’m pleased with — we’re a better group, a better squad and potentially a better team,” Carrick said. “We’re always hoping that if there’s something else to add, I wouldn’t shut that down. As it stands, we’ll have to wait and see.”

United’s interest in Page dates back to early August, suggesting the club has tracked him throughout the window before making a late move to secure the deal.