Wire flash
SportsManchester United winger Silva Mexes secretly joins Leeds United
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Source reporting is collected, normalized, translated or condensed automatically when needed.
- Automatically published source-backed update
Manchester United academy winger Silva Mexes has seemingly confirmed his move to rivals Leeds United by posting an Instagram story of himself wearing a full Leeds kit on a matchday. The 16-year-old, who joined Manchester United from Ipswich Town in May 2024, decided against extending his stay at Old Trafford due to intense competition in the youth ranks. Leeds United has a long-term development plan for the teenager, expecting him to start with the Under-18 and Under-21 squads before progressing to senior football. He is expected to sign scholarship terms initially, then a professional contract when he turns 17 in early 2027. Leeds, coming off a 14th-place Premier League finish, views Mexes as a key part of their long-term future.
Source report
Manchester United's academy has welcomed several promising young talents over the past year, but not every prospect is expected to remain at Carrington long enough to make the jump into senior football.
Competition throughout the youth ranks continues to intensify, forcing some highly-rated youngsters to look elsewhere for a clearer pathway. It now appears one of those exits has quietly taken another step.
Silva Mexes Confirms Departure
Silva Mexes has seemingly confirmed his move away from Manchester United by posting an Instagram story showing himself wearing a full Leeds United kit. The image appeared to have been taken on a matchday, strongly suggesting the winger has already linked up with his new club despite no official announcement being made.
The development follows reports from last month claiming the 16-year-old was closing in on a switch to Elland Road after deciding against extending his stay at Old Trafford.
Leeds United's Long-Term Plan
Leeds are understood to have a long-term development plan in place for the teenager. The current expectation is that Silva Mexes will begin with the club's Under-18 and Under-21 squads before gradually working his way towards senior football.
According to reports, he was expected to initially sign scholarship terms before putting pen to paper on his first professional contract once he turns 17 in early 2027.
Background on the Youngster
Mexes only joined Manchester United a little over a year ago. The youngster officially completed his move from Ipswich Town in May 2024, arriving at Carrington with an impressive reputation as one of England's brightest attacking prospects.
Despite that promise, breaking into United's increasingly competitive academy structure proved difficult, with opportunities becoming harder to secure.
Leeds, meanwhile, view the winger as much more than a short-term academy addition. Following a 14th-place finish in their first season back in the Premier League, the Yorkshire club are continuing to invest in young talent capable of becoming part of their long-term future.
This article first appeared on centredevils and was syndicated with permission.
Source
Yardbarker: SoccerWestern
Part of this Story
Manchester United winger Silva Mexes secretly joins Leeds United