Manchester United are on the verge of a first 2025 signing with Jason Wilcox set to set to secure an exciting signing for the future.
Manchester United fans were left rocked on Sunday morning as Dan Ashworth left his post as United’s sporting director.
Gary Neville has slammed United’s ‘weak’ announcement of Ashworth’s exit and fans have been left with questions about the Ineos project.
Jason Wilcox is stepping up to take many of Ashworth’s responsibilities as United weigh up whether to hire a replacement.
Wilcox is wasting no time in striking an incoming deal with United now on the verge of a first signing for 2025.
Diego Leon set to make Manchester United history
Reports on Tuesday night suggested that United were moving to sign Diego Leon from Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno.
Further claims on Wednesday night stated that United will sign Leon for £4.7million with the left back to arrive at the end of the season.
Leon is only 17 so can’t officially join United until he turns 18, meaning he will stay and develop with Cerro Porteno for a while yet.
Leon is considered to be a huge talent for the future and United will hope that he emerges as the left wing back of the future under Ruben Amorim.
United fans have a while to wait until seeing Leon in first-team action but he will make history whenever his debut comes.
That is because Leon is set to become the first Paraguayan to ever play for United – despite Sir Alex Ferguson’s best efforts.
Back in 2008, The Mirror noted that Ferguson had made then-Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz his top target in attack.
Santa Cruz then confirmed United’s interest that summer, claiming that Ferguson’s pursuit was ‘real’ after shining for Blackburn Rovers.
“The interest from Manchester United is real but I’m busy now so my representatives will handle anything if there is a concrete offer,” said Santa Cruz, as quoted by Sky Sports.
Santa Cruz ended up joining Manchester City a year later instead, managing just four goals in 24 games.
United did sign a striker that summer as Dimitar Berbatov arrived – and everybody can agree that the Bulgarian was a better signing than Santa Cruz.
More than 16 years on, United are finally set to sign a first Paraguayan in the club’s history with Leon on the verge of becoming the first signing of 2025 at Old Trafford.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 11 |  TottenhamTottenham |
15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 31 | 19 | 12 | 20 |
| 12 |  NewcastleNewcastle |
15 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 19 | 21 | -2 | 20 |
| 13 |  Man UtdManchester United |
15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 19 |
| 14 |  West HamWest Ham |
15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 28 | -8 | 18 |
| 15 |  EvertonEverton |
14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 14 |
Every Paraguayan to play in the Premier League
Only 11 Paraguayans have ever played in the Premier League, so Leon will join a rather exclusive list.
Diego Gavilan was the first as he joined Newcastle United – ironically from Cerro Porteno – but made just seven Premier League appearances.
Roque Santa Cruz was next as he signed for Blackburn Rovers in 2007 and his success sparked a number of other Paraguayans arriving.
Paulo da Silva, Antolin Alcaraz, Cristian Riveros and Juan Iturbe all came to the Premier League before another mini-wave of arrivals from 2018 onwards.
Fabian Balbuena joined West Ham United in 2018 whilst Enso Gonzalez, Miguel Almiron, Julio Enciso and Ramon Sosa are still with Premier League clubs as things stand.
Leon will join that list when he makes his United debut and he will certainly hope to be more of a Santa Cruz success story than mirroring the likes of Gavilan and Riveros.
from United In Focus https://www.unitedinfocus.com/transfer-news/diego-leon-will-make-manchester-united-history-after-sir-alex-fergusons-2008-striker-pursuit/