Red Devils land wonderkid Cofie

Manchester United last night won the battle to sign Burnley's 14-year-old wonderkid John Cofie for £1.25million.

The striker has snubbed Liverpool and Chelsea to head to Old Trafford after refusing to stay at Burnley.

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He was also being tracked by a number of Continental clubs, including Barcelona.

The England schoolboy has agreed a six-year deal, under which Burnley will receive 25 per cent of any future fee if United sell him as well as Old Trafford manager Sir Alex Ferguson taking a side to Burnley for a friendly.

Burnley's operational director Brendan Flood said: "The player was unwilling to come back to Burnley, so we didn't have a choice in keeping him here.

"He was going to go to one of the clubs chasing him and in the end, we all felt United were the right option."

Ferguson believes Mark Hughes's Blackburn, visitors to Old Trafford tomorrow, can be the team to break the big four's dominance of the Premiership this season.

Blackburn have drawn with Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea already this season, and the United manager yesterday suggested that his former centre forward can lead the Ewood Park side into the Champions League.

Ferguson added: "What they've shown at the moment is that no one turns them over."

Hughes, Barclays Manager of the Month for October, played 345 times for United in two spells and has since established himself as perhaps the most promising manager among the host of United old boys who have progressed to coaching.

Ferguson said: "I think teams reflect their managers and you see that with Mark Hughes and Blackburn Rovers."