Manchester United have confirmed that academy striker Louie Bradbury has left the club to join Stoke City. The 17-year-old centre forward has left Old Trafford to join the Championship club on a permanent transfer.
Bradbury has put pen-to-paper on a two-year deal, which is also believed to include an option for a further 12 months.
Four years at United
Before leaving United, Bradbury spent four years with the Red Devils, scoring 10 goals in 26 appearances for the Under-21s.
Bradbury's exit means another teenager has left United this week, just a day after Gabriele Biancheri left Old Trafford to complete a permanent switch to FC Wacker Innsbruck, who compete in the second tier in Austria.
Recent form and statement
This season, he has appeared for the Under-18s and got on the scoresheet in a 3-0 win over Everton, just days before his departure to the Potters. The forward also represented Wales Under-19s during the summer, including substitute appearances against Denmark and Spain.
An official statement on the Man United website read: "Academy forward Louie Bradbury has agreed a move to Championship side Stoke City, subject to registration. The Shrewsbury-born striker signed for United at Under-14s level and earned his scholarship with the club in 2025.
"He made five appearances for the Under-18s during the 2024/25 season, debuting for Adam Lawrence's side as a late substitute in the FA Youth Cup fourth-round. Last season he scored eight Under-18 Premier League goals and also registered at Premier League 2 level."
The statement added: "Everyone at Manchester United wishes Louie all the best with his next stage of his career."
Stoke reaction and other transfers
Stoke academy director Jack Higgins told the club website: "We are delighted to bring Louie to the club, adding to the crop of exciting strikers we have within the U18s and U21s.
"Louie joins us at a good age to continue his development and thrive in our environment after some brilliant experiences with Manchester United during the past few years.
"As with all players we recruit, a lot of work goes into gaining the necessary information from playing style to each individual's background, as well as their technical and physical capabilities, and I must say a huge well done to Andrew Frost (Head of Academy Recruitment) and Muheez Muyi-Opaleye (Academy Recruitment Coordinator) for their work in recruiting Louie."
United saw full-back Habeeb Ogunneye and winger James Scanlon head to Arsenal during the summer transfer window. Their pursuit of Leicester City starlet Louis Page proved fruitless, with the gifted teenager staying put at the League One club after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.
