Manchester United have been linked with 16-year-old striker sensation Kevin Filling, but the club’s stance on the transfer has been clarified.
Over the past month, Manchester United have been in superb form, with Rúben Amorim’s senior side netting eight goals in three matches and claiming victories over Sunderland, Liverpool, and Brighton.
While the men’s first team’s resurgence has delighted supporters, those following the Academy have witnessed an even more consistent run of success.
Darren Fletcher’s U18s currently sit second in the U18 Premier League, while the U21s lead the PL2 table after winning all seven of their opening games.
Several young prospects, including 15-year-old JJ Gabriel and fellow talents Chido Obi and Shea Lacey, continue to impress — and reports indicate that Amorim is keeping a close watch on developments at Carrington.
United not closing in on Filling transfer
A few days ago, German transfer journalist Florian Plettenberg reported that United were closing in on signing AIK Fotboll’s young striker Kevin Filling, with the move possibly happening as early as January.
It was stated that a fee of around £2.6 million was close to being agreed, with “concrete negotiations” ongoing to finalise the move.
However, the Manchester Evening News have since reported that these claims are wide of the mark, as Brexit rules mean the club is unable to sign non-United Kingdom players until they turn 18 – something that does not happen for Filling until November 2026.
The MEN also suggest the report may have emerged to give the player’s agent leverage, with the 16-year-old no doubt looking for a contract increase after a fast start to his breakout season.
United already have young star strikers in the making
While Filling is no doubt a potentila future star who is making his mark in Swedish football, United already have a plethora of attacking talent in their Academy.
As mentioned above, Obi is one of the most highly rated young strikers in Europe, with the 17-year-old continuing to develop physically as he aims to push for a squad place under Amorim.
At the same time, United also have young striker Enzo Kana-Biyik on loan at INEOS-owned FC Lausanne-Sport after he joined from Le Harve in the summer to develop his first-team capabilities.
There are also plenty of others, such as Lacey, Gabrielle Biancheri, and James Scanlon, who are targeting first-team appearances after successful spells in the Academy, and adding Filling to the ranks may become crowded.
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