Manchester United sign Gambian teenager Saidy Janko

Gambian teenager Saidy Janko

English Premier League club Manchester United have completed the signing of Gambian teenager Saidy Janko from Swiss Super League club FC Zürich, this blog can reveal.

The Red Devils have confirmed the deal was concluded before the transfer window closed on Monday night for a fee believed to be around £700,000 for the player who was born in Switzerland to a Gambian father and a Swiss/Italian mother.

Janko, 17, called a ‘super talent’, can play anywhere down the right hand side from full back to wide attack and possesses outstanding pace and strength for his age. United spotted him at this year’s FIFA Blue Stars tournament in Switzerland in which his FC Zürich side retained their title with a 4-0 win over Brazilian side Botafogo in the final.

“Manchester United made a second signing ahead of the deadline by agreeing a deal with FC Zürich for teenager Saidy Janko,” read a club statement.

“The 17-year-old right-sided player impressed Reds representatives at this year’s FIFA Blue Stars Tournament when he played against United and enjoyed a successful trial spell at the Aon Training Complex.”

United coaches got a good look at Janko in the group stages as he helped Zürich to a 0-0 draw against a Manchester United side which featured Adnan Januzaj. Janko was then invited over to Manchester for a trial in which he impressed before deciding to quit FC Zürich to move to United on a permanent deal.

FC Zürich general manager Massimo Rizzo told Swiss German-language daily newspaper Der Bund: “We advised Saidy [Janko] not to move abroad too soon but there was nothing that we could do to change his mind.”

United are understood to have offered his family a relocation package so the Gambian youngster will settle quickly into his new surroundings and have agreed to pay Zürich additional cash based on his eventual first-team appearances which could take the total fee above £1million.

Meanwhile, this blog understands that Saidy Janko will not be involved with the United first-team this year and will ply his trade in the lower age groups.

Janko, who recently played for the Switzerland U18 under Gérard Castella, is eligible for The Gambia, Switzerland and Italy, though his father confirmed two years ago that his son’s heart is set on playing for the Scorpions.

“I cannot emphasize enough how strong the boy feels about The Gambia and how badly he wants to play for his country of origin,” Saidy Janko’s father, Bakary, told Pointsport two years ago.

Janko becomes the third Gambian to sign for a top English club after Omar Koroma became the first Gambian to play in the Premier League after been signed by then Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp in 2008 and defender Ibou Touray’s recent capture by Everton.