Charlton football club chairman Richard Murray said:
"To have a club like Manchester United tracking our youth players
clearly shows the quality that our academy is currently
producing.
"It also provides further evidence of the value of
retaining our academy status, a decision the board made earlier
this summer despite the club's relegation to League One.
"Of course, nothing would have made us happier than
Sean coming through the ranks and representing our first team, and
our coaches had high hopes for him.
"We did our utmost to persuade him to stay, and offered
scholarship terms similar to those which we gave Jonjo Shelvey at
the same stage in his career.
"Of course, Jonjo's progress over the last year or so,
not to mention his impact on the first team, just shows what is
possible at Charlton, and clearly illustrates our commitment to
youth development.
"But equally, joining such a big Premier League club is
obviously an attractive prospect, and Sean and his family made it
clear that they wanted to move north to United.”
Murray added: "Manchester United have behaved entirely
honourably throughout the process, and I'd like to thank them for
that.”
Maidstone-based McGinty joined the Addicks at the age
of 12 and, despite his age, represented both Charlton's U18 side
and reserves last season.
After several appearances for the U18s, McGinty made
his first start for the second XI in a 1-0 defeat to Millwall at
Stonebridge Road in April.
He then went on to feature in a 5-0 win over
Southampton in a behind-closed-doors fixture at Sparrows Lane and
also started a 2-0 triumph at Reading.
charlton-athletic.co.uk
