“Shown real glimpses of promise”: United coach confirms exciting plan to fully unleash 18yo making waves at Carrington

Manchester United Under-21 boss Travis Binnion has confirmed the club’s exciting plan to unlock talented defender Diego Leon. Leon gradually improving at United Leon, who officially joined United from his native Paraguay’s Cerro Porteno during the summer transfer window, has been gradually adapting to the demands of English football and life in a new country. He initially struggled for playing time at both the first-team and academy levels, despite regularly training with Ruben Amorim’s squad. Leon endured a tough debut against Liverpool last month, which saw him taken off during the break and replaced by James Scanlon. However, he has steadily been improving and his past few games have been promising. The teenager has showcased flashes of the incredible talent that originally prompted United to secure his signature. He recently scored a stunning solo goal as United beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 at Leigh Sports Village. Diego Leon scored THIS solo goal for our #MUAcademy U21s this afternoon 🙌🇵🇾 pic.twitter.com/plN0BiRQlx — Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 25, 2025 Ahead of United’s upcoming meeting with Notts County on Tuesday, Binnion spoke to the media and insisted the next step in Leon’s development is to hand him a run of starts in the team. Binnion confirms Leon plan Binnion said [as quoted by BBC], “It is evident for all to see he has some real qualities and some strong foundations to his game that he has to build on.” “He is aware, we are all aware, he has stuff to work on but to be fair to the kid, he has not played a full 90 minutes yet.” Binnion continued, “We will be looking to tick that off pretty soon and that will be really good for him. If he can get a run of 90 minutes, then it is fair to look at his game and see where he is at.” “At this moment in time he has shown real glimpses of promise and has fitted in with the group really well.” If he continues as he is going, it may not be too long before we see Leon finally make his first-team breakthrough and earn a competitive debut for the Red Devils. Featured image Molly Darlington 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 Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!