Manchester United Sign five-year-old

[Troy]

Little Charlie Jackson is only five years old but he is already being tipped as a soccer star of the future after being snapped up by Barclays Premier League giants Manchester United.



The soccer whiz kid, from Denton about eight kilometres to the east of Manchester city center, was spotted by talent scouts when he was aged just three, but United waited two years until they decided he was old enough to join them for training once a week.
Revealing that Charlie was actually a fan of United's cross-city rivals, Manchester City, his father, Andy, admitted it had taken a bit of persuasion to get the youngster to wear the Reds' badge.

"He loves training with the club and it's an amazing opportunity for him. He has power in his left and right foot. For a little boy he's so strong, he's unbelievable."



Charlie is now training with other top-rated juniors, who are almost all a year older than him, and coaches are tipping him as a superstar of the future.

This is crazy that a top team can sign a five year old kid. I am amazed that they get them so early and groom them from that young age all the way to the top level. How can you spot that a five year old is a star and do these kids even get paid?

 

[Andrew]

Wow.

Crazy, it's popular over there signing young kids into their academy. You'd have a good future there and would get pushed hard.

 

[Troy]

How cool would it be as a five year old to say that you are signed to Manchester United. Little bit of pressure but as long as they keep them studying hard at school as well as training then it should be fine.

 

[TheZig]

It seems to happen alot these days, But judging a 5 year olds football skills seems a little tricky to me. I remember reading Barcelona had signed a young English boy to their youth system when he was on spotted playing on holiday.