Home » Exclusive: Jimmy Dunne talks to us about joining Manchester United

Exclusive: Jimmy Dunne talks to us about joining Manchester United

by Sam Peoples

Earlier this week, Manchester United agreed a deal to bring talented Irish centre back Jimmy Dunne to the club when he turns 16 in October.

Having captained Dundalk in Northern Ireland’s Milk Cup, the 6″2 centre back has shown great promise in the past few years and has already been on United’s books for over half a decade.

He will join the club’s academy officially when he turns 16 but The Peoples Person sat down with him to talk about his ‘dream’ move to United.

Hello Jim. Congratulations on your deal with Manchester United. How does it feel?

Manchester United has a huge scouting network and so it is a great honour for me to be selected. I feel very privileged. I know it is only the beginning and I have a lot of hard work ahead of me.

You’re 6″2 and only 15 years old. That’s an impressive physique for someone so young.

I’m tall for my age and that could be an advantage in the future. It’s been difficult though as sudden growth spurts have caused injuries but I hope that’s all behind me now.

You’ve been scouted by United since you were ten years old. Had you always thought that one day you might join them?

Manchester United was the first professional club I was involved with. I’ve always had the belief and hope that one day I’d make it to a club in England. Getting to Manchester United is much more special. So it’s a dream come true.

Why did you choose Manchester United over the likes of Chelsea and Aston Villa? 

I’ve been involved with them from a very young age. They have always been so supportive and I’ve always felt comfortable and at home there. They made sure my family were comfortable with my move and they put a firm education plan in place for me.

What style of defender do you hope to be? Do you see yourself more as a ball playing defender like Rio Ferdinand or a no nonsense defender like Nemanja Vidic?

I like to think of myself as a footballing centre half who is comfortable with the ball at the back. At the same time, defenders have to make sure to be secure. I  also like when the ball is in the air for me to attack.

Who is your favourite Manchester United player and why?

Because I’m a centre half, I compare myself to the centre backs at United. Johnny Evans has a similar build to me and is very comfortable with the ball at his feet – that’s why I love watching him play. Another player who I love watching is Phil Jones because of his strength, power and pace.

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