Ruben Amorim breaks silence on Chido Obi development, names two reasons holding up Man Utd debut

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There are few Manchester United talents more exciting than Chido Obi right now, and his name has been brought up in Ruben Amorim’s press conference.

It’s impossible to be unaware of Chido Obi’s ability these days.

Since Obi was signed from Arsenal, the 17-year-old has been making waves for the Manchester United academy.

The Denmark U19 international has been scoring for United at every level he’s played at – Obi has even impressed against senior opposition for the U21s.

Obi’s campaign only started in October and yet has 12 goals for United’s youth teams.

READ: Man Utd under-18s top scorers and assists in 2024/25, all results

Such impressive performances – combined with first-team goal problems – have led to Obi being tipped to make his senior United debut.

Now, the prospect of this has been presented to Ruben Amorim.

• READ: Who is Chido Obi? Wonderkid who has left Arsenal to join Manchester United move

Ruben Amorim says Chido Obi is improving

This week has seen Obi a hot topic on social media amongst United fans due to the poor form of Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund.

Obi has been favoured for a debut against Leicester, which is due to frustration over how things are going at the club right now.

Speaking on Thursday in his pre-Leicester press conference on MUTV, Amorim was asked about the teenager, outlining two factors behind Obi not debuting.

“He’s doing his job”, Amorim explained. “He’s improving, he’s playing in the youth teams, and we have also other players that can play in that position.”

These comments from Amorim take the pressure off Obi stepping up as he rightly points out the 17-year-old is not supposed to be saving United right now. He continued to discuss the senior strikers.

“Rasmus [Hojlund] and Josh [Zirkzee] are there, we bought these two players, so we need to improve them and then sometimes the confidence can change a player.”

• READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Man Utd’s head coach – Ruben Amorim

Chido Obi fulfils new Manchester United recruitment demand

Obi’s debut seems unlikely to come against Leicester, which is the correct decision as exciting as it would be. Amorim has had Obi in first-team training more than once and is therefore more aware than anyone if the Dane is ready to step up.

However, the qualities Obi is showing and the rate he is developing are showing he has everything to displace his senior teammates in the coming seasons.

Obi ticks all the boxes of the recruitment philosophy Amorim has now outlined.

“We try to find the right players with the physicality for this league: young players, hungry players.”

Obi fits the bill for this, and so do his new teammates signed in the January transfer window.

“Sometimes, we cannot spend a lot of money with players. So it’s that kind of profile that we look for and Patrick Dorgu, he has all that ability to play in this team, to improve. Ayden Heaven – the same thing. He’s young, he’s left-footed, he’s a central defender, so it’s the right profile for us at the moment.”