Arsenal leading Manchester United in race to sign highly-rated youngster

The Black Cats are increasingly losing teenage talent to the top clubs before they have made their first-team debuts.

Arsenal are reportedly leading the chase for the Sunderland starlet Logan Pye.

Sunderland are set to lose their highly-rated defender Logan Pye with, as The Sun claims Arsenal as favorites to sign him in January despite long-term interest from Manchester United, who considered a bid in the last transfer window.

The number of teenagers leaving Sunderland’s youth set-up before they have made their first-team debuts is one of the biggest challenges facing MSD Partners when Glenn Fuhrman, John Phelan and Robert Platek complete their buyout of the League One club.

They have also bid farewell to academy products in each of the last two transfer windows, Josh Maja leaving for Bordeaux in January, six months before captain George Honeyman returned to the Championship with Hull City.

The 15-year-old Logan Pye has impressed scouts from both sides and will turn 16 in October meaning interested clubs will be able to sign him before he turns professional.

Pye, who can play at either left-back or centre-back, has become a regular in Sunderland’s U-18 side this season and has also been capped by England at U-16 level. The England youth international hasn’t made a single League One appearance for Sunderland but his performances with the youth teams have obviously caught the eye of clubs far higher up the footballing pyramid.

The report claims that Manchester United put off making a bid for Pye during the summer and they could now pay for that mistake with Arsenal overtaking them in the queue. The expectation now is that the teenager will be unveiled by The Gunners as early as January.

Sunderland’s failure to secure a return to the Championship last season means it is unlikely that they will be able to stand in Pye’s way should he wish to move on.

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