Manchester United to sign Colombian teenager Cristian Orozco for academy

Manchester United are set to complete the signing of Colombian defensive midfielder Cristian Orozco next week, with the club able to formally register the teenager on Monday — his 18th birthday.

Orozco has already arrived in England ahead of the announcement and will link up with United’s Under-21 setup as he settles in Manchester. His signing comes alongside first-team deals being finalised for Andrey Santos and Karl Darlow, though Orozco’s move is targeted at the club’s longer-term development pipeline.

The 18-year-old caught United’s attention with his performances for Colombia at the U17 South American Championship last year, where he helped the side reach the final. Scouts identified him as a young talent with first-team potential, and he was invited to Carrington and Old Trafford in December for a tour that also included training sessions with United’s academy teams.

Orozco’s profile draws comparisons to Sekou Kone, the Malian midfielder who joined United’s academy for around £1 million in the summer of 2024 after impressing at the Under-17 World Cup. Like Kone, Orozco arrives as a raw but highly regarded prospect from outside Europe.

United have increasingly looked beyond the continent for academy talent in recent years, a direct consequence of post-Brexit regulations that prevent the club from signing players from European nations at youth level. South America and Africa have become key recruitment corridors as a result, with Orozco the latest arrival through that expanded network.