Manchester United Sign Teen Midfielder Isaac Konde from Liverpool

Manchester United have struck an agreement to sign 16-year-old Liverpool midfielder Isaac Konde, prising one of the most highly regarded youngsters out of Anfield and into their own academy rebuild.

The deal, reported by Fabrizio Romano, follows what are understood to be the final formalities being completed in the last 24 hours, clearing the way for Konde to make the switch to Old Trafford. The teenager has featured six times for Liverpool in the Under-18s Premier League this season, registering one assist and catching the eye with his composure in midfield.

A move between the two rivals at any level is rare. At youth level, it is a statement. United’s academy has been in a period of churn, and Konde’s arrival lands as part of a clear, aggressive reset.

United reshape the academy

While Konde comes in, a number of familiar names have headed for the exit door. Arsenal, the reigning Premier League champions, completed permanent deals for Habeeb Ogunneye and James Scanlon during the summer window, snapping up two United prospects as they sharpen their own youth ranks.

Louie Bradbury has gone too. The 17-year-old striker has joined Stoke City on a permanent transfer, signing a two-year contract with an option that could keep him in the Potteries through the 2028/29 season. It is a significant step for a forward whose development has accelerated over the past two years.

United’s own statement underlined how far Bradbury had travelled in a short time. The Shrewsbury-born forward arrived at Under-14s level and secured his scholarship in 2025. He broke into Adam Lawrence’s Under-18s side during the 2024/25 campaign, making five appearances and debuting as a late substitute in the FA Youth Cup fourth round.

Last season, he found a regular scoring touch: eight goals in the Under-18 Premier League and further contributions at Premier League 2 level. Enough, clearly, for Stoke to commit to his next stage.

United, for their part, bade him farewell with a customary message of good wishes as he steps into senior football.

Near misses and new intent

Not every target has been secured. United pushed to sign Leicester City youngster Louis Page, only to run out of time before the deadline as the two clubs failed to find an agreement. Page stays in League One for now, a reminder that even at academy level, negotiations can be tight and unforgiving.

So Konde’s capture carries extra weight. United have lost talent to Arsenal, seen a promising striker head to Stoke, and missed out on Page. Yet they have responded by moving decisively for a midfielder being developed at Liverpool, one of the most competitive academies in the country.

For Konde, Old Trafford offers a new ladder to climb. For United, it is another bet on youth in a market where the margins are getting finer and the stakes, even at 16, feel higher every year.