Manchester United have signed promising Belgian teenager Indy Boonen on a three-year deal.
Sportsmail reported in December that United were interested in the 16-year-old attacking midfielder, who can also play as a left back, as well as his brother Seppe, a 13-year-old goalkeeper.
It is believed the youngster initially grabbed the attention of United scouts when he played in a friendly against the Red Devils for former side Genk in April 2013.
Boonen, who has been on trial at Carrington for the past month, can sign professional terms now he has turned 16.
Premier League duo Arsenal and Manchester City, as well as Feyenoord and Wolfsburg were all keen to land the player, too.
When speaking to HLN about the move he said: 'It's like in a dream. The training sessions are hard, but I don't feel the tiredness when I realise I have signed for Manchester United.'
Boonen joins the growing contingent of Belgian players at the club - with aspirations of following the footsteps of first-team duo Adnan Januzaj and Marouane Fellaini.
The 16-year-old will take comfort from the fact young players are afforded first-team opportunities at United, with Tyler Blackett, Paddy McNair and James Wilson all featuring for Louis van Gaal's side this season.
The youngster appears to be a big fan of Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo too, posting several photos of the former Manchester United forward on his Facebook page.
As well as his brother, Seppe, football runs right through the family, with Boonen's father - Jacky - a former professional footballer for Lierse, Beveren and Lokeren in the 1990s.
Jacky admitted to HLN that his son, a talented playmaker with a strong left foot, is a much bigger talent than he ever was.
The family are now expected to move to England with Indy in the summer, as the highly-rated youngster looks to continue his development in Manchester, joining up with United's youth set-up next season.
No comments:
Post a Comment