United step up hunt for youngster Hunte

In the arms race that is the Premier League, all are fair game. Anything that can give you an advantage over a rival, especially at the expense of said rival, you may as well do before someone else has that same great idea and actually follows through.

So, if you can undermine a referee with some subtle comments pre-match, sow a seed of doubt that will grow into a full blown confidence crisis for an opposition player, you may as well just go for it.

In that regard, what's the harm in snapping up a player from a rival club who isn't yet old enough to buy a pint in even the most easy going pub?

According to the Daily Mail, Manchester United are keen on signing up Chelsea's 16 year old midfielder Conor Hunte who has yet to sign a professional contract at Stamford Bridge despite rules stating that youngsters can sign deals on their 16^th birthday.

The Mail, sadly, terribly, unfortunately not going with a “United in the hunt for Hunte” headline report that United are stepping up their chase for the England under 17 international after reports that Manchester City and Liverpool are both sniffing around the player using the aforementioned technique of undermining rival clubs and, if United can sign him up, that's three rival clubs in one fell swoop.

Now that's winning.