Man Utd had a Chido Obi in youth ranks before signing wonderkid from Arsenal, his career is at crossroads now

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Chido Obi was one of the biggest success stories from Manchester United’s disastrous 2024/25 season, but if fate were different, the club’s own Obi before the signing from Arsenal could have been in his place.

When Manchester United signed Chido Obi amid intense competition from many of Europe’s elite clubs, it was quite a coup.

By the end of the season, Obi’s decision to come to Old Trafford was loudly vindicated as he wouldn’t have received this level of first-team opportunities anywhere else.

Unfortunately, there are only so many games to go around, so the chances Obi did get came out of someone else’s quota, who was United’s own Obi before the signing from Arsenal.

Man Utd had their Chido Obi in Ethan Wheatley

Obi shot to prominence for his remarkable goalscoring record for Arsenal U18s when he was just 15 and 16 years old.

While Obi was doing his scoring for Arsenal, Ethan Wheatley was making himself undeniable for Man Utd U18s as they swept everything before them.

Wheatley scored eight goals in seven U18 league games in 2023/24, earning him the honour of becoming Man Utd’s 250th debutant from the academy.

Wheatley had the world at his feet, Erik ten Hag was a huge fan, his teammates were impressed, and he looked the part when he played for the first team.

The natural next step was taken in the first half of the 2024/25 season, as Wheatley was promoted to the U21s, where he picked up from where he left off for the U18s.

Nine goals in 12 U21 league games spoke of a player who was ready for senior football and United thought the same, just not at Old Trafford.

Wheatley sealed a loan to League Two side Walsall in January and that was where it all began to go wrong.

Wheatley’s Man Utd career at crossroads

While Obi was making noise for the U18s and being called up to the senior team, Wheatley was toiling about in the fourth division.

He made just four league appearances for Walsall totalling only 168 minutes, failing to score at all to sum up a terrible loan spell.

The loan was going so badly that United allowed him to play for the U21s at Carrington again, where he showed his qualities once more.

Wheatley is not giving up on carving out a career for himself at Man Utd, but the unpredictability of youth development has reared its head again.

A player who was once destined to break out at Man Utd faces a “make or break” pre-season, while Obi is now the heir to the United No.9 throne that Wheatley once contested for.

Wheatley extended his United contract earlier this season so the club haven’t given up either, but he is certainly at a career crossroads which isn’t what anyone expected when he was scoring for fun in the academy.