The latest young player to make his Manchester United debut was young striker Chido Obi.
Back when Chido Obi signed for Manchester United, there was an expectation he would make his first team debut during 2024/25.
He became Manchester United’s 252nd academy graduate when he came off the bench as a late substitute during Manchester United’s 1-0 defeat away at Tottenham.
The 17-year-old has scored 15 goals for United’s academy teams this season, including a FA Youth Cup hat-trick against Chelsea days before his debut.
Rio Ferdinand reflects on Chido Obi’s brief cameo
Chido Obi came on in stoppage time during United’s loss, and this annoyed many fans who felt he should have come on earlier.
Ruben Amorim explained he is trying to be cautious with his young players. His faith in Obi is evident, given that he was the only youngster he brought on, his first academy debutant since his arrival.
There are plenty of games ahead for Obi to see action, and while former star Rio Ferdinand wanted to see more game time for the young striker, he knows the teenager will be thrilled to get on the pitch at all.
He told his YouTube channel: “To give him three minutes, he will not care, he will be ‘I’m on the pitch, I’m now a Premier League footballer’. You can’t tell Chido Obi nothing right now.”
Ferdinand also referenced the appearance bonus Obi will get simply from making his breakthrough, but does wish the head coach had been a little bolder against Tottenham.
He explained: “But I would have liked to see him get 10 minutes. It’s not like we’ve got strikers on the pitch banging in goals left right and centre saying ‘I’m on a hat-trick how dare you do that to me’. They need help.
“He could have been that Kiko Macheda moment, Rashford moment where they get thrown in. I know the environment was different but…”
Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee are both struggling to score goals, neither have netted at all in 2025, and you cannot blame Ruben Amorim for wanting to try something new.
Rio Ferdinand on potential Chido Obi impact
Manchester United have won six of the last nine games in all competitions, yet that is somewhat misleading to the actual state of affairs at the club right now.
United rank 15th in the Premier League table, and have just suffered season-ending injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Amad.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 14 |  EvertonEverton | 25 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 27 | 31 | -4 | 30 |
| 15 |  Man UtdManchester United | 25 | 8 | 5 | 12 | 28 | 35 | -7 | 29 |
| 16 |  West HamWest Ham | 25 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 29 | 47 | -18 | 27 |
A lack of goals has factored into United’s struggles with Alejandro Garnacho yet to score a Premier League goal since Ruben Amorim took charge in November.
Ferdinand says Chido Obi could play a part in galvanising the rest of the dressing room if he has a special moment after being thrown into the team.
He explained: “That kid’s confidence could reverberate around the changing room. The confidence is that low in that place, you might need that little kid to kickstart the team.
“Amorim has tried everything else and it ain’t working right now. This kid, or one of those kids might be it.
“I’m not saying this kid’s the finished article, just to clarify, none of these kids on the bench the other day are anywhere near and they’ll tell you that themselves. But their enthusiasm and their lack of fear could be a plus point.”
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