Chido Obi has had a season of developing behind the scenes at Manchester United, and he can now end the season with potentially two trophies across two academy age groups.
This season, Chido Obi’s reputation has been hit by Manchester United not playing him in the first team at all, instead expecting him to grow and develop in the academy.
The decision to do this has seen Obi improve in all areas of the pitch, impressing beyond just his goal-scoring record with hold-up play, pressing, and creativity in the final third, all improving.
Obi has scored 15 goals and assisted five at a U21 level, scoring another five and assisting three in very few U18 games. Now, Darren Fletcher has explained what he has loved about the 18-year-old’s goal scoring this season.
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Darren Fletcher highlights the improvements Chido Obi has made this season
Fletcher has benefitted from Obi stepping back into the U18s this season and is well placed to discuss his development.
Speaking to The Athletic, Fletcher has now highlighted what he’s made of Obi this season.
“The most pleasing thing about that one with Chido was (that) the under-21s game got cancelled the day before and he messaged me wanting to play (for the under-18s),” says Fletcher.
“I thought it was amazing for Chido to want to play in the game, to not think the under-18s is beneath him. That shows how mature he is, which comes with age.
“His development has been great. You see him in the under-18s — off-the-ball movement, tactical understanding, improvement in all parts of the game as a striker. We know he can score, but developing the other areas — his hold-up play, his linking — has been fantastic.
“He’s been supplying assists for his other teammates. That shows leadership in that role. He can bring all the experiences he’s had in the first team and under-21s, into the under-18s. He’s improved massively.”
Fletcher has been pleased with Obi throughout this season, and this praise of his improvements shows how impressive the Danish forward has been.
Obi is only going to get better over the coming years, with this season a glimpse of how well-rounded he can be.
Would you give Chido Obi another chance in the first-team?
He's improved a lot for Manchester United…
Chido Obi has done exactly what Manchester United demanded of him
This season was about Obi building his game to be more successful in the long term and at a professional level.
Travis Binnion wasn’t happy with Obi earlier this season for his work rate, but over the course of the 2025/26 campaign, he has improved in these areas.
Doing exactly what United asked of him and has actually ended up having a really successful season.
Obi is better placed for first-team football now than he was 12 months ago when Ruben Amorim threw him in as a 17-year-old.
This summer, Obi is expected to head on loan, and the qualities he has developed this season have prepared him well for this.
But he looks more likely to have a future at United than he did six months ago.
But first, Obi will likely play a part for both Fletcher’s FA Youth Cup finalists and also the Adam Lawrence’s Premier League 2 finalists.
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