Man Utd and Man City 'schedule meetings' in bid to sign Swansea City teen talents

Man Utd and Man City are both in the hunt for two of Swansea City's top academy prospects in Harlan Perry and Brogan Popham, who have attracted interest from a host of Premier League clubs

Manchester United and Manchester City are reportedly in a tug-of-war for Swansea City's young talents Harlan Perry and Brogan Popham. Both clubs have scheduled meetings with the teenagers' representatives, indicating their interest in the duo.

Perry, a 16-year-old central midfielder and Wales U17 international, is unable to sign professional terms until his 17th birthday in November. Meanwhile, Welsh U18 central defender Popham has caught the attention of scouts, but he hasn't yet signed a professional contract with the Championship club, reports the Mirror.

If either player were to leave Swansea, the club would be entitled to compensation as both youngsters are currently on scholarship terms. Arsenal and Tottenham are also said to be interested in the pair, but their interest pales in comparison to that of United and City.

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Perry played in all three matches for Wales at the U17 European Championships in Cyprus in May, while Popham has captained Swansea's U17 team in the PDL Cup this season.

United have been focusing on enhancing their youth recruitment since INEOS came on board, while City's Elite Development Squad has won the Premier League 2 three times in the last four seasons, maintaining their reputation for having one of the best academy setups in football.

Manchester United have pulled off a major transfer coup by signing highly-rated 16 year old striker Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal, despite strong interest from Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. The move has now been given the green light by the Premier League following a lengthy registration process, and there is hope that he could soon make his mark in United's first team.

Luke Fedorenko, who was promoted to head of academy recruitment last August, and Nick Cox, the head of United's academy, are both working hard to develop more first-team stars for INEOS. Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho are already key players under Erik ten Hag, and it is hoped that more young talents will follow in their footsteps.