Manchester United has officially confirmed the signing of promising young midfielder Cristian Orozco, who has now arrived at Old Trafford following his 18th birthday.
The 18-year-old joins the Red Devils from Colombian outfit Fortaleza CEIF, wrapping up a transfer that was initially agreed upon late last year. International transfer regulations for players under 18 meant Orozco had to wait until reaching adulthood to finalize his move.
In an official statement, Manchester United announced: "Manchester United have completed the signing of exciting young midfielder Cristian Orozco. The 18-year-old joins from Colombian Categoria Primera A side, Fortaleza CEIF. Orozco, who was developed in Rojo FC’s academy, played five first-team games for Fortaleza last season and has represented Colombia up to Under-17s level."
The club emphasized that Orozco will not be immediately thrown into senior action. Instead, he will be integrated into the Manchester United Academy setup to help him adapt to life in England, the culture, and the team's training environment.
Orozco, a technically gifted defensive midfielder, is known for his composure, physical strength, and passing ability. He developed through the youth ranks at Rojo FC before moving to Fortaleza CEIF, where he made five senior appearances. Internationally, he has represented Colombia up to the U-17 level, even captaining his country at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Orozco becomes the third Colombian player to join Manchester United, following Radamel Falcao and Mateo Mejía, and aligns with the club's strategy of bringing talented South American players into their development program.
