Popular team Manchester United have signed a young gun, 18-year-old Paraguayan defender Diego Leon. This is going to their second signing before the start of the 2025–26 season.
Diego Leon comes from Cerro Porteño, where he played 33 first-team matches and scored four goals. Manchester United saw his maturity and attacking sense to bring to the table.
Diego Leon to Join First Team and Academy Setup
The teenager left-back is set to be integrated both with the first team and the academy since United intend to introduce him slowly to top-level European football.
He follows Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha, who was the first to be signed by United under new manager Rúben Amorim.
The Portuguese strategist is preparing for his first season in the hot seat and has been handed a significant rebuild job at Old Trafford.
Manchester United Seek to Address Left-Back Issue
Diego Leon’s signing specifically covers a long-standing issue at left-back. Luke Shaw has been prone to injuries, and Tyrell Malacia has been sent on loan to PSV Eindhoven.
As there are no specialist alternatives, United reverted to Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui, both of whom were forced to play out of their preferred position.
Amorim’s methodology is very much built around full-backs providing width and joining up with attacking players. Leon, who is fast and has one-on-one skills, is well suited to that way of playing.
Following Poor Season, United Hope to Rebuild with Youth
Manchester United are planning to rebuild the team after a forgettable 2024–25 campaign. In 2024-25, the team ended up in the 15th position in the Premier League and also lost the finals in the Europa League to Tottenham Hotspur.
Without Champions League football this season, the club expects that a more compact schedule can assist them in refocusing on domestic objectives and narrowing the performance deficit with teams such as Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal.
Since the high-profile regimes of José Mourinho, Louis van Gaal, and Erik ten Hag, United have not been able to regain past glories. Amorim’s new path – including transfers such as Leon – is viewed as a possible turning point to the modern era of the club.
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