Get to know one of the promising young stars breaking through at Manchester United.
Noah Ajayi is beginning to make a name for himself in Manchester United’s academy. Here is everything you need to know about the promising talent.
Noah Ajayi: Key facts
- Full name: Noah Ajayi
- Position: Left winger
- Date of birth: 23/11/2008
- Place of birth: Hamburg, Germany
- Citizenship: Germany, Nigeria
WHO is the most UNDERRATED academy talent at Manchester United right now? 🤔🔥
JJ Gabriel and Shea Lacey are obviously exciting but who else are you excited by?
Noah Ajayi’s key academy milestones
Noah Ajayi moved to England at the age of 10 after being born in Germany. He later earned a spot in Manchester United’s academy.
Ajayi made his debut for Manchester United’s under-21 side when he was just 16, in a 4-1 win over Reading at the end of last season.
Ajayi replaced Sam Mather in the 84th minute, getting the chance to play alongside Gabriele Biancheri and James Scanlon in attack.
One day later Ajayi made his competitive under-18s debut, in a 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest, also from the bench.
In summer 2025, Ajayi signed professional terms with United as one of the 12 scholars to pen senior deals, and he has since become a regular with the under-18s.
And in December 2025, Noah Ajayi scored his first goal for Manchester United’s under-18s, in a 3-0 win over Newcastle.
Ajayi came off the bench along with Douka Nkoto, and the pair inspired a win. Nkoto scored two before assisting Ajayi for his goal.
This was Ajayi’s sixth appearance of the season, capped with his low side-footed finish into the bottom corner of the net.
Ajayi trained with the Manchester United first team in 2025, getting a chance to mix in alongside the likes of Noussair Mazraoui and Leny Yoro.
Does Ruben Amorim need to improve his use of the academy?⭐️
What’s next for Noah Ajayi
Noah Ajayi will hope to be part of Manchester United’s FA Youth Cup squad when the team’s 2025/26 campaign gets underway this week.
He has played as a striker in two games this season, but now Louie Bradbury is back from injury, he can revert to his more natural position on the left wing.
The challenge for Ajayi is that the rapid ascent of JJ Gabriel has meant his own game time has taken a little bit of a hit at times.
Ajayi is making an impact at his own pace, and his progression is one to watch as we head towards 2026.
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