Chido Obi has been thriving in Manchester United’s academy and his masterclass performance against Manchester City’s Under-18s has put him in the spotlight.
Manchester United’s Under-18s beat arch-rivals Manchester City 3-1 and Chido Obi dominated the match as the Red Devils striker.
United staff have been impressed by Obi’s off-the-ball work rate in recent weeks – a skill that the 18-year-old had been told to work on.
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In recent weeks, Obi has been doing extra training and it is clearly having an impact on his game. He made his first-team breakthrough under Ruben Amorim last season, and his sights will be set on getting back to the first-team squad.
Chido Obi’s next step at Man United is his toughest yet
Last season, Chido Obi made seven Premier League appearances for United, and one in the FA Cup as he made his way into the first-team squad.
Benjamin Sesko’s arrival in the summer made it more difficult for him to be involved, but Obi’s work in the academy has been exceptional.
He has already proved he is too good for Under-21s and Under-18s football, so his next challenge is getting back into the matchday squad at United.
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Last season, Amorim’s full focus was on the Europa League, so Obi’s inclusion was more a decision borne of rotation. This season, United are playing the bare minimum 40 matches across all competitions so Obi’s opportunities have been limited.
Bryan Mbeumo has been playing centre-forward, and Joshua Zirkzee is also looking for minutes up front. It is up to Obi to prove he can add value to Michael Carrick’s attacking options.
Michael Carrick is paying close attention to Chido Obi
Unlike Amorim before him, Carrick has been watching United’s academy sides in action this season, so he will be well aware of Obi’s progress at Carrington.
The teenage striker is now doing more off the ball to help his side, and his finishing was never in doubt.
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There are 12 games remaining this season, and Obi will find it difficult to break into Carrick’s plans considering United are deep into a push for Champions League qualification.
But this summer’s pre-season training is paramount for the young striker. That is his golden opportunity to impress staff – and whoever is the head coach – and prove he is ready to make the step up as a regular first-team player in 2026/27.
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