Peterborough United officially sign Manchester United winger

Manchester United have enjoyed an encouraging pre-season under Michael Carrick, with the Reds using their summer schedule to assess both established stars and emerging academy talent.

The preparations have already included a difficult defeat to Wrexham before United responded emphatically with a 5-0 victory over Rosenborg.

Carrick’s side then edged past Atletico Madrid 2-1 before drawing 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain, giving the new head coach plenty to consider before the competitive campaign begins.

United continued their preparations in Dublin on Wednesday, drawing 1-1 with Leeds before winning the friendly 5-4 on penalties.

The summer has also provided opportunities for several younger players to impress, with the club continuing to assess which prospects are ready for senior football.

Manchester United winger signs for Peterborough United

One of those youngsters has now officially brought his Manchester United career to an end, with Ethan Williams completing a permanent move to Peterborough United, as the club announced on their website.

The 20-year-old winger has signed a long-term contract with Peterborough after the League One club fought off interest from several other sides, with Williams handed their vacant No.10 shirt.

Ethan Williams only recently returned from United’s pre-season tour, where he scored the fifth goal in the 5-0 win over Rosenborg.

His departure ends a six-year association with United after he joined from Rochdale’s academy in 2019.

The winger initially made his mark with the Under-18s, recording 20 goals in 44 appearances across two seasons.

He later stepped up to the Under-19s, scoring five times in eight appearances, before making 29 appearances for the wider academy setup and adding another seven goals.

Williams also gained valuable senior experience through loan spells with Cheltenham Town and Falkirk, making 22 appearances last season, including games against Scottish giants Celtic and Rangers.

Despite leaving permanently, Williams was able to depart United having recently experienced first-team involvement during the current pre-season campaign.

Explaining why he felt the time was right to move on, Williams said, “The identity of this club is clear, they like to work with younger players and when I heard of the interest, it was a move that I wanted to make.

“I have been out on-loan at a couple of clubs, have gained a lot of experience of men’s football and felt it was the right time to leave United and sign for Peterborough.

“I have enjoyed my time at United and it’s always tough to leave a place like that, but there comes a time in your career where you have to make tough decisions to develop yourself and Peterborough is renowned for helping younger players.”

Williams now begins the next chapter of his career away from Old Trafford, with Peterborough hoping the former United academy prospect can build on the experience he gained during his time in Manchester.