Manchester United win the race to sign highly-rated Aston Villa teenager Evie Rabjohn

Manchester United have won the race to sign highly rated England U19 defender Evie Rabjohn from Aston Villa.

Sportsmail revealed United made an official approach to the 17-year-old last week and the youngster has opted to move to the Red Devils.

The deal will be finalized when Rabjohn returns from international duty with the U19 squad.

The defender made her first Women’s Super League start in Villa’s 5-0 win over Leicester at the end of March.

Villa will not receive compensation because Rabjohn will not turn 18 until April 28.

FA rules allow players in the women’s game to move before signing their first professional contract at the age of 18 without their club receiving any compensation.

This is in contrast to the men’s game, which has a detailed compensation system established by FIFA.

It’s a rule that several clubs in the WSL have been lobbying the FA for the past two years to change.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes has previously called on the FA to introduce transfer fees for players under the age of 18, despite the rule arguably benefiting her club.

“We can’t sign a player until he’s 18. You can develop anybody from 12, 13 – Lauren James, good example, Alessio Russo for us,” Hayes said in August.

‘At (the age of) 16, someone else can say “hey, we’ll sign that”, for a week you don’t get any compensation, nothing. That has to change because I think it will force the hands of Chelsea and Arsenal.”