Ethan Ennis has confirmed that he’ll join Manchester United this summer. The teenager leaves Liverpool to do so.
Ethan Ennis is a Manchester United player. The 16-year-old took to Instagram to confirm as much, though no details were included.
And this was coming. The Liverpool Echo reported last week that Ennis had rejected a new contract with Liverpool and would leave the club.
They suggested United and Chelsea were rumoured destinations. It turns out that was correct, and it’s the Reds’ arch-rivals who get him.
Liverpool wanted to keep him, though. They offered Ennis a contract – as they did most of their key youngsters this summer.
He was one of the very few who said no and, arguably the best. Ennis just played a role in the Under 18s Youth Cup final run, where he consistently caught the eye.
For whatever reason, though, he sees his future at United rather than Liverpool.
Ethan Ennis joins Manchester United
This is, unsurprisingly, a very rare occurrence. In fact, we’re not sure who the last player was to make this jump – even at the academy level.
We can name someone like Ramon Calliste as a player who made the opposite move, though United released him. Ennis rejected a contract with Liverpool.
Danny Gutherie, too, moved from Old Trafford to Anfield and did go on to have a decent career. But that’s all that really comes to mind.
The last actual transfer direction from Liverpool to United was a very, very long time ago – 1938 when Allenby Chilton made the switch. So Ennis isn’t exactly taking a well-travelled path here.
It’s obviously far too early to tell if Ennis makes it at the top level. If he does, though, he can expect a reception at Anfield one day. He’s taken a real chance here.
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