Manchester United are reportedly keen to poach the services of Mexican wonderkid Gilberto Mora, who has been likened to Bruno Fernandes.
The 17-year-old has been named by The Sun as one of five players who turned heads in the recently concluded FIFA U20 World Cup.
Despite his tender age, Mora has already made his senior debut for Mexico last summer, and now has three international caps under his belt. The attacking midfielder was naturally called up for the U20 World Cup, and went on to play a pivotal role for his country.
Mora provided an assist in Mexico’s 2-2 draw against Brazil on the opening fixture, before scoring a brace in the 2-2 draw against Spain. In the final group-stage fixture, he netted the winner against the tournament’s eventual winners, Morocco.
Man United leading the queue for Gilberto Mora
The teenager then helped his nation beat Chile 4-1 in the Round of 16, providing an assist for his teammate, but he was reduced to tears as Mexico were thumped out of the competition on the back of a 0-2 defeat to Argentina in the quarter-finals.
The source mentions that Mora’s technical skills, vision, and leadership skills have captured the attention of international scouts, while adding that Man Utd and Barcelona have both enquired about his availability in the past.
The Sun also claims that several Premier League clubs could be interested in the youngster. Nevertheless, MUFC are leading the chase, identifying him as the potential long-term heir to Bruno Fernandes.
However, Mora won’t be able to make the jump to Europe until he turns 18 in October 2026. Therefore, he will continue to hone his skills at Club Tijuana, where he’s been a member of the first team since the summer of 2024.
Is Man Utd the right destination for Mora?
Based on his World Cup exploits, Mora is definitely a special talent, but it must be said that Man Utd’s attacking midfield department is slightly crowded at the moment, especially following the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, plus Mason Mount’s revival, and not to mention the rising talents at the club, and chief among them is Shea Lacey, who is knocking on the first team’s door.
Hence, if Bruno has been forced to play in a deeper role to accomodate his new teammates, what chances does his supposed successor have at finding space in his preferred role?
