However, due to Italian football regulations preventing under-18s from signing professional contracts, he was not permanently tied to the club, and shortly after his 16th birthday, he was signed by Manchester United of England, where regulations permit the signing of players aged 16 and over.
Namun, karena peraturan sepak bola Italia mencegah pemain dibawah 18 tahun dari penandatanganan kontrak profesional, ia tidak secara permanen terikat ke klub, dan tak lama setelah ulang tahun ke-16, ia dikontrak oleh Manchester United dari Inggris, di mana peraturan mengizinkan penandatanganan pemain berusia 16 tahun.