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Transfer News: Manchester United leading the race for 16-year-old Merseyside rising starlet

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Transfer News: Manchester United leading the race for Thierry Small

According to transfer news from Daily Star, Manchester United are leading the race for Thierry Small. The Everton academy star is yet to put pen to paper on a professional deal and was also absent from training that has already begun under new boss Rafael Benitez. Bayern Munich and Arsenal are also said to be after him.

Just 16 years of age, Small became the youngest Everton player to feature for the first-team when he appeared in the FA Cup win against Sheffield Wednesday in January. Since then, a host of clubs have kept their eyes on the youngster.

Everton v Sheffield Wednesday – Emirates FA Cup – Fourth Round – Goodison Park Everton s Tyler Onyango third right and Thierry Small prepare to come on as substitutes during the Emirates FA Cup fourth-round match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. Picture date: Sunday January 24, 2021.

Small is still a month away from being able to sign his first professional deal with any club. Everton are hoping that they can get him to do so. He recently changed his agent and has failed to report for preseason training that has already begun under Benitez (h/t Daily Star).

It is now two training days that he has missed but it seems Everton have established some contact with him. The player is said to want a move away after seeing that his path to the first-team is blocked by the likes of Lucas Digne and Niels Nkoukou. United are said to be monitoring the developments and are leading the race to sign him.

Tyler Onyango and Thierry Small of Everton make their first team debuts aged seventeen and sixteen respectively during the FA Cup match at Goodison Park, Liverpool. Picture date: 24th January 2021. Picture credit: Darren Staples/Sportimage PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUK SPI-0872-0065

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The Everton starlet does look like a player with good potential but United already have two established names in this position. Luke Shaw is arguably one of the best in the league and Alex Telles is an able deputy. If United are going for Small with the view to push him into the academy, then it makes sense. He is due to turn 17 next month and it would hardly be logical to sign him for the first-team.