Manchester United are about to do something the club has never done before in the transfer market as the INEOS era enters full swing. The Red Devils have become part of a multi-club ownership model since Sir Jim Ratcliffe purchased a 28.9 per cent stake in February 2024.
INEOS also own Ligue 1 side Nice and Swiss outfit Lausanne-Sport but have not yet utilised their alternative investments to the benefit of United. That looks set to change this summer as the Old Trafford giants prepare to send one of their latest signings to a sister club for the first time.
According to L’Equipe, Enzo Kana-Biyik will leave United almost immediately after he completes his switch from Le Havre on July 1.
The 18-year-old striker is one of several youthful signings made by the new-look regime, led by sporting director Jason Wilcox and head of recruitment Christopher Vivell.
Monaco and Marseille are said to have been among the other clubs chasing Kana-Biyik, but a deal is in place for him to land in Manchester next week.
And the report adds that rather than joining Ruben Amorim’s senior squad or the youth ranks, United will loan him out to Lausanne next season.
Lausanne finished fifth in the Swiss Super League last term and will compete in Conference League qualifying later this summer.
Kana-Biyik is a France Under-18 international and follows in the footsteps of Paul Pogba, who also joined United from Le Havre’s academy.
He is the son of Andre Kana-Biyik, who earned 80 caps for Cameroon, and the brother of Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik, with six caps to his name.
INEOS have overseen a wave of young signings since their arrival in M16 as part of a recruitment drive to continue improving United’s academy.
Chido Obi, Sekou Kone, Ayden Heaven, Diego Leon and Harley Emsden-James have all joined since last summer.
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Obi and Heaven, both from Arsenal, have already broken into the senior set-up, while Kone is knocking on the door and will be part of the group in pre-season.
Leon, like Kana-Biyik, will arrive on July 1, joining from Cerro Porteno in his homeland, Paraguay. Unlike the Frenchman, he has already broken into senior football.
Emsden-James, one of England’s most exciting centre-back prospects, is set to seal a switch from Southampton.
United are set to pay around £1m for the 16-year-old, who Wilcox was familiar with from his time as sporting director at St. Mary’s.