Manchester United sternly warned away from transfer approach for England youth star

Leicester City manager Russell Martin admits he would tell Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox “to go away” if he attempted to recruit teenage sensation Louis Page.

The 18-year-old earned EFL Apprentice of the Year honors last season and is regarded as one of the most promising young talents in the Football League – drawing interest from the Red Devils.

Page would purportedly welcome a transfer to Old Trafford if the chance presented itself, but Leicester are intent on retaining their homegrown talent. The England U20 international has already accumulated 21 senior appearances for the Foxes – including five starts last season. He featured in their Carabao Cup victory over Northampton on Saturday.

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Martin has been hired as the Foxes new manager following their drop to League One, and he previously worked with Wilcox at Southampton, who now serves as Director of Football at United. He recently admitted that, despite their shared history, he would advise him to pursue other targets if they approached him regarding Page, as per The Mirror.

He jokingly told Sky Sports: “Louis is a really fantastic young player. Obviously, I know the director of football at Manchester United very well after spending some time with Southampton. So we haven’t actually spoken with Louis because he probably knows what I’d say to him and tell him to go away.

“But no, until something comes in that is really brilliant for the club, the player, and everyone is happy, then Louis stays, and he’s in the squad. I’m really enjoying working with him. He’s a fantastic young player.”

Arsenal and Aston Villa have also expressed interest in Page. Leicester have already lost one of their top young talents this summer after forward Jeremy Monga, 17, departed for Manchester City, and they will be reluctant to see another exit the King Power Stadium.

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Page signed professional terms with the Foxes in September last year, which means United would need to agree to a transfer fee if they wanted to secure his services.

Leicester said after he penned his deal: “After joining us at Under-9s, Louis has progressed through our Academy ranks and developed within the LCFC pathway into one of the brightest talents in our system”.