Teenage wonderkid undergoing medical ahead of Manchester United transfer

Sékou Koné is undergoing his Manchester United medical on Thursday ahead of completing a move to the club.

United have already agreed to sign the defensive midfielder from Guidars FC in a deal understood to be in the region of £1.2 million, with a number of performance related add-ons also included.

The 18-year-old was on the list of a number of top clubs this summer, with United winning the race to secure his signature in part due to their detailed development plan for the youngster. A club source described the deal to sign the teenager as a 'scouting led signing' with summer recruit Christopher Vivell understood to have played a role in bringing him to the club as well as constructing his progression plan.

Vivell started work as the club's director of global talent last month and is tasked with recommending the best available talent for the men’s first team as well as identifying ‘emerging talent’ players with a proposed pathway development plan. In his previous roles, Vivell has not only been credited with spotting the likes of Erling Haaland and Benjamin Sesko, but he has also been hailed for establishing detailed long-term development plans for a number of promising players.

While the club have high hopes for Koné, they are appreciative of the huge cultural and career change the move represents for him and will be careful about how they integrate him into his new surroundings at such a young age.

It is understand Koné will primarily feature for United at U21 level in his debut season but will likely be involved in first-team training sessions on a regular basis in order to aid his development. He could get his first taste of proper men's football during the EFL Trophy campaign, which continues with matches against both Doncaster and Huddersfield next month.

United are confident of completing a deal for Koné before transfer deadline day and could even officially announce his arrival as early as Thursday afternoon.