The quantity of expertise Manchester United have produced from their academy through the years has been astronomical. In fact, you may go way back to the times of the Busby Babes, the beginning of the Premier League period, the place the Class of ‘92 burst onto the scene, or extra lately, when Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford flew the flag for the academy.
These days, Kobbie Mainoo is the one academy graduate to have actually established himself within the first staff. That, in some ways, is a tragic reflection of the present state of the membership, which as soon as prided itself on homegrown stars.
But, a number of academy gamers are on the fringes of the first-team squad, with one of the vital outstanding ones being Chido Obi.
Chido Obi’s Man United profession up to now
When the Crimson Devils secured the signing of Obi final summer season following his departure from Arsenal, it was a transfer that piqued the curiosity of many. The 17-year-old joined United with an enormous popularity in academy soccer.
His file at youth degree is phenomenal. For United’s under-18s, he has 12 objectives in 10 video games, and for the under-21s, 5 objectives in eight. Throughout his time at Arsenal, the Denmark youth worldwide bagged 32 objectives in simply 21 matches for the Gunners’ under-18s aspect.
With that file in thoughts, it was most likely not a shock that Obi made his first-team debut for United final season. Though he’s but to play this season, the 17-year-old has already notched up eight appearances. He additionally scored twice for the first-team on their post-season tour on the finish of 2024/25.
One man who is aware of a factor or two about being a top-level striker is Alan Shearer. The Premier League’s all-time prime goalscorer was impressed with the teenager after his FA Cup efforts towards Fulham final season. Shearer mentioned, “I like what I see from Obi”, and described him as a “handful” for defenders.
Obi is actually an thrilling expertise and one other graduate of United’s academy. Nevertheless, he’s not the one prime attacker coming by means of the ranks at Carrington.
Man Utd might have their subsequent Wayne Rooney
Though underneath Ruben Amorim, the variety of academy graduates concerned within the first staff has enormously decreased, there’s nonetheless a pathway accessible. Obi’s rise by means of the ranks has actually proved that.
Properly, maybe subsequent on that path could possibly be 17-year-old ahead Amir Ibragimov. The versatile attacker can function in midfield as a quantity eight, a quantity 10, and play on each flanks. He’s actually left an enormous impression after his performances for the academy.
Ibragimov has a formidable file of 11 objectives and 9 assists in 33 video games within the under-18s Premier League. The 2024/25 season was his first full marketing campaign within the competitors, and he chalked up 14 objectives and assists in 22 video games.
Ibragimov’s file in U18s Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|
Season | Video games | Objectives and assists |
2022/23 | 5 | 1 |
2023/24 | 2 | 1 |
2024/25 | 22 | 14 |
2025/26 | 4 | 4 |
Stats from Transfermarkt | ||
One of many greatest compliments paid to Ibragimov got here from Mail journalists Nathan Salt and Isaan Khan. They in contrast the United teenager to considered one of their all-time greats, Wayne Rooney, resulting from “his imaginative and prescient and his skill to choose a cross in assault”, which is excessive reward certainly.
In fact, replicating what Rooney did in that well-known Crimson shirt is not going to be straightforward. But, the 17-year-old has “harmful” attacking skill, in accordance with Antonio Mango, and might make an actual affect within the last third, as his numbers present.
There could possibly be an extended option to go earlier than we would see Ibragimov present similarities to Rooney within the first-team. However the best way he has carried out for the Crimson Devils’ academy actually bodes properly for the longer term.
Maybe he can quickly observe in Obi’s path and break into the senior aspect. If he’s half as profitable as Rooney was for United, Ibragimov could have had a formidable profession.
