Man Utd beaten to 'best midfielder of his generation' by third-tier minnows

Tom Weber

• Updated: 2 Dec 2025 15:32 GMT
• 6 min read

News

Manchester United have officially missed out on the signing of Mouhamed Dabo to third-tier Croatian side NK Kustosija despite a successful trial.

The Senegal youth international has been on the radar of top European clubs for months, and he confirmed his massive potential at the U17 World Cup in November.

However, already before he embarked on the trip to Qatar with his country, Dabo was making headlines. That is because the 17-year-old was on trial at Man Utd in October.

At the time, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Man Utd had been left impressed with the midfielder and that they had begun the process of signing him.

Although Romano did not yet give his signature 'Here We Go' to the deal, he was positive about Man Utd's chances of wrapping up a deal, having managed to agree a transfer for Cristian Orozco days earlier. However, things haven't quite worked out that way.

Man Utd miss out on Dabo

On Monday, Croatian lower league side Kustosija surprisingly announced that they had managed to fend off interest from 'numerous global giants' to sign Dabo, who will be eligible to move to Europe after turning 18 in March.

On the face of it, this is quite a bizarre transfer. However, it becomes more understandable when looking at the club's recent history in the market. Despite playing in the third tier of Croatian football, Kustosija have become a premier destination for young talent.

In recent years, Kustosija have sold players to MLS, Germany and, most importantly of all, Barcelona. The sale of Mika Faye to the Blaugrana in January 2023 was a watershed moment for the Zagreb-based club. Perhaps Faye, who now plays for Cremonese, put in a good word with compatriot Dabo.

"One of the most talented midfielders of his generation and the captain of Senegal’s U-17 national team - Mouhamed Dabo - has signed a long-term contract with NK Kustosija," an official club statement read.

"The 17-year-old Senegalese midfielder, who has been pursued by numerous global giants, grew up at the Be Sport Football Academy in Dakar, where he already became a regular first-team player. He will arrive in Kustošija on July 1st next year! Welcome!"

Football transfer news headlines today

Fabrizio Romano Transfer News: Jackson CONFIRMATION, Lewis-Skelly BOMBSHELL, Arsenal deal ANNOUNCED

Arsenal bombshell: Real Madrid ready to accept €100m transfer

Chelsea make final decision on €130m double deal

Arsenal's FIRST 2026 signing confirmed

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available on Google Play and in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•Google Play

•App Store