United left stunned as fierce PL rival launches hostile raid to sign highly-rated speedster – report

Manchester United are braced to lose Silva Mexes to Leeds after the club’s bitter rivals jumped the queue for the highly rated youngster, according to a new report. Expiring Contract The Red Devils snapped up Mexes, whose full name is Silva Mexes Tyler-Earnshaw, as a then 14-year-old from Ipswich Town’s Academy in 2024. The winger is the son of former Wales striker Rob Earnshaw, who described the switch as “really, really special” given the 44-year-old was a boyhood United fan. One of Mexes’ standout qualities is his searing pace, having been an accomplished athlete outside of football with an impressive 11.2 seconds PB in the 100m sprint. TEAMtalk describes the youngster as “ahead of his peers” as the 15-year-old has played a year up for the under-16s side this season. He also became a Thailand U-17 international, representing his mother’s country in the AFC U17 Asian Cup last year and scoring the team’s only goal in the competition. Silva turns 16 in March and his contract at Old Trafford expires in the next two months, leading to a number of teams to express interest in signing him. Initially, it was understood Ipswich were eyeing a return for their former protégé, while Nottingham Forest were also looking to secure his signature on a free transfer. Crossing Enemy Lines However, The Talent Hunter – an excellent source within English youth football – contends it is Leeds who are now “considered favourites to wrap up the signing”. The report details the move is set to be agreed “imminently” with Mexes be “poised to leave” United as he plots the next stage of his career. Academy players will normally sign two-year scholarship deals once they turn 16, as per the English FA’s guidelines. Clubs are then allowed to offer professional contracts at the age of 17. These moves between academies are not subject to the same rules as senior level, which can only take place in designated transfer windows. This means Mexes can cross enemy lines to join Leeds midseason if an agreement is struck to swap Old Trafford for Elland Road. At the beginning of February, the Yorkshire side – one of United’s fiercest rivals – agreed a deal to sign Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher, a 17-year-old striker who was a regular in Darren Fletcher‘s U-18 team this season. 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 Darragh Fox Darragh is an editor for The Peoples Person who spent three years learning about the Cold War at the University of Sheffield slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about. Amad’s first touch should be officially recognised as the eighth wonder of the world.