Five Cantonas

As the biggest Manchester United transfer story of the summer rumbles on, with Arsenal striker Robin van Persie edging ever closer to joining to my utter disbelief, the arrival of another young striker is slipping almost entirely under the radar. Chilean teenager Angelo Henriquez, a striker for Universidad de Chile, yesterday passed his medical ahead of completing his move, presumably today. The fee is £4m.

United had a first option in place and were reportedly allowing him to stay with La U as long as possible. However, reported interest from City has forced Sir Alex’s hand, and the move to make Angelo officially a United player has been hastily completed.
The youngster, who has hit 17 goals in 27 games since bursting on the scene, is likely to be loaned back to his former club as the Chilean league is in mid season and Universidad currently sit four points behind the leaders with two games in hand. It is thought he will then link up with his new team-mates in January 2013.

The laziest of comparisons liken Henriquez to Javier Hernandez, being young and from latin America, but more accurate would be a comparison with Ruud van Nistelrooy, a player that Henriquez himself admires. Dynamic, intelligent and lethal in the area, Henriquez already has a nose for goal that takes years to develop in other players.

That said, it was only May when Tim Vickery, South American football expert for various media outlets, claimed that Henriquez wasn’t ready to move to Old Trafford and should stay with La U for another season. By loaning him back, United tick both boxes, securing the players services whilst allowing him to continue his development in Chile.