Manchester City beat Barcelona and Real Madrid in race to sign 15-year-old starlet Richard Dionkou

MANCHESTER CITY have beaten Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona to the signing of 15-year-old starlet Richard Dionkou.

City were among a host of top clubs who have been tracking the schoolboy who is currently registered to Real Mallorca.

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Real, Barca and Atletico Madrid were all hoping to attract the highly-rated right-back to their Academy systems with the view to fast-tracking him through the grades.

But it is City who have emerged triumphant after Dionkou expressed his desire to move to England to join Pep Guardiola’s club.

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Under FIFA guidelines no player is able to sign a contract until they reach the age of 16, so Dionkou will remain with Mallorca for the rest of this season.

But he will link up with the City academy over the summer, where he will begin his development playing in the club’s successful under-18 side.

The full-back, who was originally born in Senegal, is seen as a genuine prospect to develop into a top class footballer in a few years.

His capture continues City's moves to bring in some of the most talented young players at a young age as they look to develop their own first team stars.

Last month they agreed a deal to sign Southen schoolboy Finley Burns for £175,000, and another £255,000 has been set aside to sign 15-year-old Valencia striker Nabil Touaizi when he turns 16.