MANCHESTER UNITED have confirmed the signing of David Eze from the City academy.
England Under-16 midfielder Eze, 16, has followed 17-year-old Karim Cassim across town after he completed his switch in midweek.
The announcements have come after City were found guilty of the majority of the Premier League’s 115 charges for financial breaches.
City face a mass exodus of first-team stars if they are hit with an unprecedented points deduction that could effectively consign them to relegation to the Championship.
United have overseen high-profile unveilings of their academy recruits in the wake of JJ Gabriel’s demand to leave.
Gabriel, 15, has been undergoing individual training sessions as he weighs up his next move.
United formally announced a new contract for 17-year-old Noah Ajayi this week, having confirmed new contracts for Dante Plunkett, Fred Heath and Will Murdock last week.
The club are also expected to confirm the signing of 16-year-old Isaac Konde from Liverpool in due course.
Cassim was an unused substitute when City beat United 2-1 in the FA Youth Cup final in May.
Trading between Premier League academies has become more widespread in recent years after Brexit regulations prevented clubs from signing overseas talents under the age of 18.
SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET UP TO £100 BONUS
United signed Darren Fletcher’s sons, Jack and Tyler, from City in 2023 and Harrison Parker moved in the opposite direction.
Charlie McNeil rejoined boyhood club United from City three years earlier and went on to win the FA Youth Cup with Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho in 2022.
The last senior City player United bought who went on to play for the club’s first team was Wyn Davies in 1972.
Eze is represented by the SEG International agency which counts Erik ten Hag among its clients.
SEG’s presence at United came under scrutiny after they brokered deals for Rasmus Hojlund and Sofyan Amrabat in 2023 in Ten Hag’s second summer transfer window in charge.
Although SEG do not have any first-team clients at United, they assisted the club with the £70million signing of Carlos Baleba in August.