Manchester United target sends farewell message to club

Manchester United’s academy recruitment has become increasingly ambitious in recent years, with the club regularly competing against domestic rivals for the country’s most highly-rated schoolboy talent.

James Overy’s departure to Sydney FC and Louis Page’s ongoing pursuit from Leicester have both shown United’s willingness to move in different directions when chasing academy prospects.

That same appetite led the club to make a strong push earlier this year for a teenager who, perhaps fittingly, actually grew up in Manchester himself despite spending his entire academy career on Merseyside.

United held talks with the player’s representatives, gave him a tour of Carrington, and were even spotted alongside him at a United FA Youth Cup fixture as they pushed to lure him away from Liverpool.

That interest ultimately came to nothing, and the situation has now been resolved in a different direction entirely.

Manchester United target posts farewell message to club

Vincent Joseph has confirmed on Instagram that he has ended his nine-year association with Liverpool, with Arsenal having reached an agreement to sign him.

Writing about his Anfield exit, Vincent Joseph posted, “After 9 unforgettable years, the time has come to say goodbye. Thank you for the memories, and for making my time here truly special.”

The 16-year-old allowed his schoolboy registration at Liverpool to expire this summer rather than signing scholarship terms, meaning any move to Arsenal will be resolved through a compensation settlement rather than a conventional transfer fee.

Should the two clubs fail to agree a figure, the Professional Football Compensation Committee would step in to decide the amount, taking into account factors including Joseph’s age, playing record and the length of his time on Merseyside.

Joseph made just 2 appearances for Liverpool’s Under-18s last season, but made them count, scoring 3 goals including a stunning strike from outside the box to help beat Nottingham Forest.

He has also been capped extensively by England’s youth set-up, scoring 8 goals in 9 appearances for the Under-16s, while remaining eligible to represent Germany at international level.

Primarily deployed as a false nine over the past 18 months, Joseph is viewed by those who have worked with him as a rare talent capable of playing with his back to goal as comfortably as running in behind.