On deadline day, many were stunned that instead of pushing for a left-back signing, Manchester United were keen on midfielder Louis Page. That, however, shows just how convinced they were of the young midfielder’s talent.
Page was one of the Championship’s 2025-26 breakout stars. The elegant, left-footed Leicester City teenager proved to be a modern box-to-box central midfielder, one who is press-resistant, possesses powerful ball progression, and can break lines with his passes.
He made a name for himself despite the toughness of the Championship, proving to be one of those rare midfield gems, like Jude Bellingham, Adam Wharton and Alex Scott, that the Championship keeps churning out. As exciting as Page proved to be, his brilliance, unfortunately, did not save Leicester City from relegation.
However, as promising as he had shown himself to be, there was sure to be a team out there who felt he was too good to drop into League One.
Man United pressed for a last-minute Louis Page deal
Arsenal, like Manchester United, felt the same, but ultimately the 18-year-old preferred a move to Old Trafford over the Emirates.
Hours before deadline day, INEOS tried to sign him, but as they pressed for the deal, they never reached an agreement. Leicester demanded £12 million, with potential add-ons that could see the fee rise to £15 million.
A deal can and should be struck now
While paying such exorbitant fees for an inexperienced teenager may not have sat well with INEOS, they should be wise enough to strike the deal now, with Page making the move later.
There are plenty of examples of midfielders showing the kind of potential Page has, who were spotted by top teams that then grew afraid to gamble on them, only for other smaller clubs to do so and hit the jackpot instead.
Bellingham, Wharton and Scott are prime examples of players the Red Devils will now be forced to break the bank to sign, when they could once have got them from the English lower leagues for peanuts.
That said, other than the risk of missing out on another Bellingham giving the 20-time English champions the motivation to strike a deal for Page now, there are other reasons why.
The fact that the young midfielder is playing a key role for the Foxes means he is only likely to become a better midfielder than he is now. It would not be surprising if, come the winter or summer transfer window, he is available for far more than the £15 million deal that can be struck now.
That said, beyond his rising value, Arsenal and other top clubs could also press hard for Page after watching him dazzle this season, leaving United in a transfer battle they could otherwise avoid.
There are suggestions behind the scenes that United are already working on a deal for Page. Well, they should not just be working on it; they should be looking to strike that agreement now.
A transfer can be agreed, with Page continuing his development at Leicester before making the move to M16 later.
Featured image Michael Regan via Getty Images
