Chido Obi receives crucial feedback from academy coaches, it will tell Carrick all he needs to know – report

When Ruben Amorim was named as Manchester United’s head coach to replace Erik ten Hag, many pointed to his immaculate work with youngsters as a reason why INEOS picked him ahead of other candidates. And his penchant for trusting youth was on display in his debut season, with the likes of Harry Amass, Chido Obi, and Tyler Fredricson all earning their senior debuts. However, this approach unravelled this term, as none of the youngsters was given further opportunities, and his public criticism of the club’s renowned academy caught the United board off guard. Chido Obi, regarded as one of the brightest young strikers at academy level, was clearly disappointed by the snub, and Amorim’s harsh words prompted him to respond on social media. Chido Obi had his finest game vs City U18s But United coaches felt the demotion served the young Dane well, giving him the chance to work on his craft away from the pressures of first-team football. And the hard work paid dividends in the recent U18 Manchester derby, with the former Arsenal ace grabbing a well-deserved goal while working his socks off without the ball. To excel in a competitive first-team environment in the modern game, off-the-ball is seen as a non-negotiable and the 18-year-old had one of his best games in that regard. “Manchester United are happy with Chido Obi’s development in the academy this season. Obi scored his ninth goal of the campaign for the Under-18s in a 3-1 win against Manchester City on Saturday afternoon. Carrick to benefit from key improvement “Obi impressed during the game with his out-of-possession work. It’s understood that staff were delighted with Obi’s display and believed his off-the-ball work was some of his finest of the season. CompetitionAppsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Premier League 2135020662′ EFL Trophy31200214′ National League Cup31000200′ Premier League International Cup U212020089′ U18 Premier League1100090′ FA Youth Cup11000120′ Premier League000000′ TOTAL (2025/26)2394201,375′ 25/26 season stats via Transfermarkt “United staff have been keen to allow Obi to continue learning in academy games. There have been fewer first-team matches due to early cup exits, and Obi has benefited from that decision.” The Denmark U20 international has nine goals and four assists in all competitions across all age-groups this season. Amorim might have snubbed him, but Michael Carrick could be the one to benefit as Chido Obi adds more layers to his game. With Joshua Zirkzee not exactly firing on all cylinders and Benjamin Sesko without a recognised backup, hopefully, Chido Obi can add to his eight senior caps later in the season. Feature image Justin Setterfield via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Ayantan Chowdhury After failing to become a professional footballer, Ayantan switched to the next best thing: writing about the greatest football club in the world. He has extensive sports journalism experience, having worked for over 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25