Manchester United boasts promising young talents emerging from their academy, with several recently joining Ruben Amorim’s first-team squad.
Among them is midfielder Sekou Kone, who was a substitute in matches against Tottenham and Everton, showing “glimpses of promise” since his summer arrival, according to Academy Scoop.
Another rising star is left-back Harry Amass, a former Watford player, who also recently made the bench against Real Sociedad and is considered “one to watch” by Academy Scoop.
However, Chido Obi is arguably the most exciting breakthrough talent at United.
Obi’s United Career So Far
Obi’s move from Arsenal to United last summer has been remarkable. He’s had an incredible start in the Red Devils academy, scoring 12 goals in nine under-18 games this season.
His impressive form led to his first-team debut under Amorim, playing briefly against Spurs. Since then, he has made two more senior appearances: in a Premier League game against Everton and an FA Cup match against Fulham.
During his 52 minutes against Fulham, Obi demonstrated his talent, creating opportunities and troubling Fulham’s defense.
United legend Wayne Rooney expressed his admiration for the 17-year-old, saying he was “really impressed.” Alan Shearer also praised Obi, stating, “I like what I see from Chido Obi.” The young Danish international is making a significant impact.
Obi’s potential suggests he could become a key player for Amorim. But things could have been different if another talented young striker had stayed at the club.
Man Utd’s Original Chido Obi
United’s academy is known for nurturing young talents, as Obi is currently proving.
This was also true for Charlie McNeill, a prolific youth goalscorer. McNeill initially joined Manchester City in 2014 before returning to United in 2020, having gained a reputation for scoring over 600 goals for City’s youth teams.
For United’s under-18s, McNeill scored 34 goals and provided 11 assists in 35 games. He also scored in the UEFA Youth League and for the under-23s.
McNeill played a crucial role in United’s 2021/22 FA Youth Cup victory. Alongside Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, he scored five goals and assisted two in six games, helping United win the trophy at Old Trafford.
| McNeill record by round in 2021/22 FA Youth Cup | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Opponent | Score | Goals | Assist |
| 3rd | Scunthorpe (h) | 4-2 | 1 | 1 |
| 4th | Reading (a) | 1-3 | 1 | 1 |
| 5th | Everton (h) | 4-1 | 1 | 0 |
| 6th | Leicester (h) | 2-1 | 0 | 0 |
| Semi-final | Wolves (h) | 3-0 | 2 | 0 |
| Final | Nottingham Forest (h) | 3-1 | 0 | 0 |
| Stats from Transfermarkt | ||||
Football statistician Statman Dave once called McNeill a “natural goalscorer,” suggesting a bright future at United.
However, he only made one first-team appearance for the club, a brief Europa League game against Real Sociedad, and was rarely on the bench. After loan spells in the EFL, McNeill left United last summer when his contract expired.
McNeill joined Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer, but has struggled for game time, playing only five games and scoring twice in the Carabao Cup against Hull City.
Now valued at just £167k, McNeill’s career has faced challenges since his academy success. However, at his age, he still has time to recover and regain his form.
If given more opportunities at Manchester United, McNeill might have been competing with Obi for a first-team place.
Vihaan Mehrotra