Manchester United signs starlet Powell

Jun 12, 2012 - 8:39 PM Manchester, England (Sports Network) - Manchester United acquired forward Nick Powell from Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday and inked the 18-year-old England youth international to a four-year contract.

The England Under-18 international passed a physical and agreed to a contract, which starts July 1.

"We have scouted Nick for months now. He is an exceptional talent and has been schooled well at Crewe. I'm delighted he has chosen to come to United," United manager Sir Alex Ferguson said. "He has a lot to offer and we are all looking forward to working with him."

Powell makes the switch from League Two side Crewe Alexandra on an undisclosed fee. He scored 16 goals in 45 matches last season for Crewe.

"It really is a dream come true to be signing for Manchester United. I have had a great time at Crewe and I would like to thank them for helping me to develop as a player over the past 13 years," Powell said.

"I'm excited about continuing my development with Sir Alex and the world-class players in the squad. The thought of making the step up to the Premier League next season is an exciting prospect. I can't wait to get started."