Manchester City have underlined their determination to recruit the best young players in the country by paying Southend United a record transfer fee for a 13-year-old of £175,000.

Finley Burns’s move from Roots Hall to the Etihad Stadium was announced last week for an undisclosed fee after prolonged discussions at the end of last year and The Times can reveal that the overall cost to City could be more than £250,000 if he goes on to sign professional terms at the club.

City’s investment in Burns is unprecedented for a player of his age and a recruit from a category three academy such as Southend’s, with the club paying almost £150,000 more than they are obliged to under the terms of the Elite Player Performance