“In United’s plans”: Amorim ready to unleash exciting 18-yo despite January loan whispers – report

Diego Leon is yet to make his senior Manchester United debut, but a bold claim from South American journalist Christian Martin suggests he may not have to wait much longer. The 18-year-old was the first signing of the Ruben Amorim era. Back in the winter, INEOS an initial £3.3 million deal with Paraguayan side Cerro Porteno for the exciting young left-back. Unlike the other January signings, Ayden Heaven and Patrick Dorgu, Leon did not make the immediate switch to Old Trafford. Both clubs had to wait until he turned 18 in July to finalise the move. Once officially on board, the full-back linked up with the United squad for their pre-season tour of the USA. Keen to assess his readiness for a first-team role, head coach Ruben Amorim provided him with opportunities in friendlies against Leeds, West Ham United, and Bournemouth. Leon did enough to convince the United technical bench to retain him rather than send him out on loan. However, given how raw he still is, the club did not want to throw him to the wolves. Leon has had to start with the youth sides, allowing him to progress gradually through the ranks. Youth team impact With the youth side, Leon has made an impression. His highlight so far came in a 4–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur, where he scored a stunning goal for the U21S. Diego Leon scored THIS solo goal for our #MUAcademy U21s this afternoon 🙌🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/plN0BiRQlx — Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 25, 2025 Aside from his exploits with the youth team, it is worth noting that Leon has been training regularly with the senior team and has already featured in a couple of matchday squads. There has already been a hint of a clear pathway for his breakthrough, with Under-21 boss Travis Binnion confirming that everything is going to plan. Leon part of the plan Not long after Binnion’s comments, South American journalist Christian Martin offered further insight into Leon’s trajectory. “Diego Leon is going with the national team. Right? They talked about it even though he’s with the U21S,” Martin told Versus. “At United, he’s getting more and more involved with the first team. He’s definitely in United’s plans in the short and medium term.” #VsSportsRadio | “Diego León, en los planes a corto y largo plazo del Manchester United” 📲Enlace con @askomartin desde el viejo continente. Presentado por @yerbapajarito #paraguayosenelexterior #YerbaPajarito1 pic.twitter.com/G8hkij5Jlb — Versus (@SomosVsSports) November 6, 2025 Doubts cleared Those remarks certainly help dispel doubts surrounding Leon, especially from those who feared he was not in Amorim’s plans. There had already been murmurs that United might reconsider and send him out on loan. But with these assurances, it is clear that the Paraguayan international will get his chance sooner rather than later. And with Diogo Dalot and Patrick Dorgu both struggling at left wing-back, Leon has a genuine opportunity to break into the United first team and prove his mettle. Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.