Manchester United are set to complete a deal for Blackburn Rovers defender Phil Jones, according to BBC Sport and The Daily Telegraph.
The 19-year-old is said to have undergone a medical at Old Trafford today and will be officially unveiled over the next few days, with the deal said to be worth up to £17 million.
Jones went through the youth system at Blackburn and impressed last season with some accomplished performances in the Premier League.
The England Under-21 international has made 35 first-team appearances for Blackburn and is now set to take on Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic—United's long-standing central defensive partnership—for a regular spot in Sir Alex Ferguson's reigning champions.
If the deal goes ahead as expected, it represents exactly the kind of investment in youth Ferguson has been talking about in recent months.
With the likes of Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Edwin van der Sar retired, and Ryan Giggs on his last legs at 37, United are well aware they need a fresh generation to come through if they want to win a record 20th title.
Meanwhile, rumors continue to circulate linking the club to Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric and Inter Milan's Wesley Sneijder.