Crystal Palace wonderkid confirms Manchester United move

Crystal Palace wonderkid confirms Manchester United move

Crystal Palace youngster Samuel Lusale appears to have confirmed his impending move to Premier League rivals Manchester United.

As he progressed through the Crystal Palace program, Lusale’s parents had high expectations for him. However, early this summer, the 17-year-old turned down a scholarship opportunity to study at Selhurst Park.

The young winger, who has been with Palace since he was 13, was a member of the team that competed in the FA Youth Cup the previous year.

Lusale has joined the United academy in recent months, joining the likes of James Overy, Silva Mexes, Camron Mpofu, and Chido Obi-Martin.

The highly regarded attacker told his Instagram fans earlier this week that he was leaving the Eagles, writing, “My journey with Crystal Palace comes to an end and a new door opens.”

‘I will always remember the memories I made at Palace, and without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today. But now, we move on to the next chapter.’

Samuel Lusale
The 17-year-old appeared to confirm his move to Old Trafford on Instagram
Lusale took to Instagram again this afternoon to share a picture of himself on a TV screen beside a Manchester United No.7 shirt displaying his name, along with an hourglass emoji.

The Red Devils are expected to officially announce Lusale’s arrival from Palace over the coming days.

Lusale was called up by Slovakia’s Under-18 side during the recent international break and produced an eye-catching performance in a 3-2 defeat to Wales, registering a goal and an assist on the eve of his 17th birthday.

After taking over as United’s sporting director in the summer, Ashworth said that building a productive and ‘thriving’ academy would be a ‘key objective’ of his job at Old Trafford.

‘Youth development has been a huge part of my career and I see it as a crucial element of success for any football club – but especially for Manchester United where homegrown players have such a rich history,’ he told the club’s official wesbite.

‘The success of our Under-18s during the 2023/24 campaign bodes well for the next generation of men’s talent coming through.

‘Overall, my first impression is the scale of opportunity available to us at Manchester United as we review and refresh all areas of the club.

‘This remains one of the biggest football clubs in the world, but that is not our measure of success; the focus is on getting back to being among the best on the pitch.

‘It won’t happen overnight, but, together with CEO Omar [Berrada] and his new leadership team, we will not rest until we have achieved it.’