“I love to score goals”.
It’s a mentality shared by every great goal scorer in the history of football; and it’s one embodied by Manchester United’s new starlet, who is increasingly banging on the door of the senior squad, despite only turning 17 a few months ago.
Chido Obi completed a sensational switch from North London to the North West of England when he joined the Red Devils from Premier League rival Arsenal last summer.
The Danish phenom had already established himself as one of the biggest prospects – in a literal sense as a 6’2 teenager, but also as highly-rated youngster – in English youth football, having already made national headlines with his goal-scoring prowess.
Obi’s capture was considered a “coup” for the club with the 17-year-old’s path to first-team football at Old Trafford believed to be key to United winning the race, despite efforts by Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta to convince him to remain at the Emirates.
And it’s a choice which has already paid dividends with the Dane making his debut for the Red Devils in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago.
A mini injury crisis forced Ruben Amorim to name a number of youngsters in the match-day squad against Spurs. But only was given the opportunity to step onto the pitch in the white half of North London as United pushed for an equaliser.
Four days prior, Obi had scored a sensational hat-trick to help United’s U18’s team dispatch Chelsea 5-1 in the FA Youth cup, continuing an impressive season for in the club’s academy for the striker.
And now United have released a snippet of the first interview with Obi on the club’s website in a video previewing the U18’s quarter-final clash with, ironically, Arsenal.
“I love to score goals, and I love to help the team to win in this big competition, so yeah, it’s really good,” the 17-year-old striker states.
Obi has already played a key role in United’s youth side progressing in a cup competition with his goals.
Given the continued struggles of senior strikers Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, Amorim may be forced to turn to the Danish starlet to help the senior team do the same with a fifth round tie in the FA Cup against Fulham next on the agenda for the Red Devils this weekend.
Zirkzee and Hojlund have combined for just 5 goals in the league this season. The pair have totalled the same number of shots on target as centre-back Matthijs de Ligt – a shocking statistic which explains United’s struggles this season.
The idea either senior striker “loves to score goals” is questionable; there are no such doubts over the academy’s newest star – Chido Obi.
Featured image Lewis Storey via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
