Liverpool stunned as their very own Jamal Musiala moves closer to Man United deal

Liverpool’s academy conveyor belt has produced a fresh gem in 16-year-old striker Vincent Joseph, but the teenager’s next destination may be the one place Reds supporters never want to see their talents surface: Old Trafford.

Sources close to the situation have confirmed that Manchester United have opened formal talks with Joseph’s representatives and are increasingly confident of securing the forward, having already welcomed him to Carrington earlier this year. If completed, the switch would end a 62-year inter-club transfer freeze that has stood since Phil Chisnall left Anfield for United in 1964.

Joseph, who has skippered Liverpool’s Under-16s and has been deployed both as a central striker and a roaming number 10, is highly regarded inside the AXA Training Centre. Staff have privately likened his balance and close control to that of Bayern Munich and Germany attacker Jamal Musiala, a comparison that has accelerated United’s pursuit of one of English football’s brightest prospects.

The development lands at an awkward moment for Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes. Liverpool ended the 2025-26 summer window short on reinforcements after leaving several deals too late, and the club now sits outside the Premier League’s top four. A spate of injuries has further exposed the squad’s lack of depth, placing even greater emphasis on the next wave of academy graduates.

Rio Ngumoha, Kieran Morrison and Trey Nyoni have already breached the first-team barrier, heightening hopes that Joseph could follow a similar path. Instead, the Merseyside-born attacker appears poised to cross the divide to United, where academy chiefs view him as a future first-team option capable of operating across multiple forward roles.

Liverpool have yet to table fresh professional terms, leaving the door ajar for United to capitalise. With the 2025-26 campaign entering its final months and transfer speculation intensifying, the Reds now face the prospect of watching another local talent slip away to their fiercest rival.