Petrucci signing confirmed

The signing of Roma’s 16 year old starlet Davide Petrucci, mooted here a month ago, appears to be confirmed. To loosely translate from Italian website www.tuttomercatoweb.com:

OFFICIAL: Roma’s Petrucci signing with Manchester

Manchester United, as has become tradition, is investing in Italian youth, as the Red Devils – after previously signing Giuseppe Rossi (and Federico Macheda) – has also signed Davide Petrucci (16). They have offered a princely contract for a teenager, 120 thousand euros per season, the maximum for which they may sign a minor.

Roma have responded with an offer of €1600, the federal minimum, so as not to upset their other youth players who had signed for that figure. It was not enough and Petrucci flies to Manchester, the footballer having been in discussions with the club since the beginning of last month. Roma will receive compensation as the club that trained the player, a figure that will be between 200 and 250 thousand euros.

Official confirmation from United may be a while in forthcoming, but I think it’s safe to assume Petrucci will form part of next year’s intake, along with Reece Brown, Robert Brady, Nicky Ajose and Joshua King. No word yet – official or otherwise – on who will join them, although rumours persist of further raids on Italy and bids for French teens Jérémy Helen (a 15yo full-back from Rennes) and Darnel Situ (a 16yo centre-half and France U16 captain from Lens). More news to come soon hopefully.