Chido Obi received his first pre-season minutes against Rosenborg, and he’s leaving no stone unturned to get more from Michael Carrick.
It came later than expected, but Chido Obi finally played a good half against Rosenborg after being snubbed against Wrexham.
Ethan Wheatley played ahead of him that day, but Obi made the most of his chance against Rosenborg even though he didn’t score.
What Michael Carrick will love more than that performance is what he did immediately after.
Which Manchester United academy star impressed you the most vs Rosenborg?
Shea Lacey, Jacob Devaney, Harry Amass and Ethan Williams all scored, but there were so many impressive performances!
Chido Obi is putting in extra effort to get noticed
Obi is already a far-improved player from the poacher Man Utd signed from Arsenal, and it’s a result of immense hard work.
His goalscoring numbers might not jump off the page in the same way anymore, but anyone who watches him regularly can say that his game is more translatable to senior football now.
Obi has been a driven professional, taking coaches’ advice on board to become a more complete striker.
That mentality shone through after the Rosenborg game, when a video emerged of the wonderkid immediately going for extra training.
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In the video, Obi can be seen going through an intense obstacle course with a weight tied to his back, so that his movement during a game feels lighter.
He displays his confident finishing skills, which took a step back last season as he developed other parts of his game.
Ultimately, the intention matters the most, and in Obi’s case, the intention is clearly to get to the best possible version of himself.
Obi’s elite mentality will earn Michael Carrick’s trust
Carrick has shown great willingness so far to trust youngsters, and if they perform well, they get a larger role.
Would you give Chido Obi another chance in the first-team?
He's improved a lot for Manchester United…
Harry Amass is an example of the same, and if Obi continues his path to improvement with his professional mindset, he could be next.
With United in four competitions next season, United need more than just Benjamin Sesko, especially as Joshua Zirkzee blows hot and cold.
If Obi shows that he’s ready to get a few minutes here and there and develop in training, then he could easily stay at Old Trafford this season.
He’s trying his hardest to catch Carrick’s eye, and the true measure of his standing will be revealed in the coming days as more senior internationals return to pre-season.
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