Heres video of the 5-year-old Man City fan now with Man Utd

Though Man City's new-found financial power has meant that they've been the Manchester club bringing in the majority of the big signings in recent years, Man United have swiped a player right from under City's own gold-encrusted nose. First spotted by the Red Devils when he was just three years old, Man City fan Charlie Jackson, now five, has been convinced to start training with his favorite club's biggest rivals.

But it took some convincing to get Charlie to go against his loyalties like that. From The Sun:

Accountant Andy [Charlie's father] said: "His idols are Joe Hart and Mario Balotelli and at first he was mortified at training with United. He didn't want to go.

"Eventually I had to tell him, 'Look, we'll let United train you up. Then when you're really good, you can go to City'.

Since he's only five, Man United can't actually sign him to a contract yet, but he is training with players who are a bit older than him in their development program. And before you go thinking that this child is being forced into a life of football before he can figure out whether that's really what he wants to do, Charlie's dad makes his intentions clear:

"We haven't set him any long-term goals. The moment he stops enjoying football is the moment we look at doing something else with him.

"There's no pressure on him at all but it would be nice if he plays for City one day."

Given how clear Charlie and his parents are about his desire to play for City, Alex Ferguson might have an elaborate plan laid out to systematically erode Charlie's skills while he trains with Man United. They'll probably make him play with bowling balls disguised as footballs and have Jonny Evans teach him everything he knows.

Anyway, the one-year-old who actually signed a contract with VVV-Venlo back in April is not impressed. Mostly because he has no idea what's going on here.