Manchester United's deal for a 17-year-old midfield talent for £750,000 is set to be finalized soon; his development plan has been revealed, but he may struggle to fit into Carrick's plans.

Manchester United will confirm the signing of a new midfielder next month. Cristian Orozco, who will then be 18 years old, qualifies for an international transfer according to FIFA rules. The club struck a deal with Colombia's Fortaleza CEIF last year, with Orozco set to arrive in the summer transfer window.

Orozco's birthday is July 13, 2007, so despite the transfer being completed last September, he remained with Fortaleza for further playing time. Statistics show that the 17-year-old has been named in Fortaleza's first-team squad 11 times this season, making two substitute appearances and two starts in Colombia's top division, totaling 128 minutes on the pitch.

In December last year, Orozco traveled to Manchester to get a taste of life at Carrington and Old Trafford, and he also participated in training sessions with United's youth team. He is regarded as a highly promising young player with the potential to break into the first team.

Orozco helped Colombia reach the final of the South American U17 Championship last year, which caught the attention of United scouts. However, he has yet to establish himself in the first team of his Colombian club, making it hard to envision him breaking into Carrick's senior squad next season.

British media report that after completing the official transfer formalities on July 13, Orozco will need time to obtain a UK work permit. Therefore, he is expected to join United's youth academy rather than take part in Carrick's first-team pre-season training.

According to sources, Manchester United's chief scout for South America, Giuseppe Antonaccio, played a key role in Orozco's transfer. It was Antonaccio who recommended the player, citing his physical attributes, tireless running, and sharp game-reading ability as worthy assets. He facilitated the deal, and United eventually agreed on a fee reportedly worth around £750,000.

The circumstances of his arrival are similar to those of Sekou Kone from Mali. Kone, after impressing at the U17 World Cup while representing Mali, joined United for £1 million in the summer of 2024. He was initially highly praised and even nicknamed "the new Essien" or "the new Yaya Touré."

Unfortunately, Kone's development has not gone as hoped. He has frequently been injured at United and was loaned out to Lausanne Sport, a Swiss satellite club owned by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, where he also failed to get regular playing time. In the end, he made only five appearances in half a season, totaling just 134 minutes on the field.

In recent years, due to post-Brexit rules that make it difficult for United to sign players from Europe, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS group has expanded the youth academy's recruitment scope to South America and Africa. This approach is considered low-risk with high potential returns.

However, United must avoid overhyping young talents and instead focus on solid development. Even Moisés Caicedo, now at Chelsea, had to go through loan spells at Brighton before establishing himself.

Last year, United followed a similar model to sign left-back Diego León from Paraguay's Cerro Porteño, paying £3.3 million with potential add-ons up to £7 million. Notably, the scout who recommended León was also Antonaccio, who previously worked at Italian giants Juventus.

After joining United, León did not make a single first-team appearance in his first season. He initially boasted that he would need only a few games to integrate into the senior squad, but instead of proving himself, he was sent to the youth team to start from scratch and adapt to English football. The Paraguayan youngster also refused a loan move in the winter window but has continued playing only youth matches.

In the final matches of the Premier League season, with United having nothing to play for, Carrick chose to give Tyrell Malacia a farewell appearance rather than hand León his debut. This clearly indicates that León's level is still not up to standard.

Carrick's own son is also in United's youth setup, and he values young players highly. However, this does not mean standards for youth players are lowered. According to reports, Carrick has reminded León that only by improving his tactical awareness will he get a chance in the first team.