Manchester United were made to work extremely hard and eventually came back from a goal down to win 3-1 against Hong Kong in their final post-season friendly on Friday.
Rasmus Hojlund was a major disappointment once again, missing chances galore, while his control let him down time and again. Both friendlies have shown that the Dane is not fit to lead the line for the club.
Academy wonderkid Chido Obi stole his thunder with a second-half brace, his first goals for the club, and he was a constant thorn in Hong Kong’s flesh, finding space inside the box and turning sharply to get shots off.
In the season gone by, the 17-year-old, despite his limited minutes, has shown more of the requisite striker’s instinct than his senior counterpart.
Chido Obi scores a brace
Mason Mount was full of praise for his qualities, name-dropping his movement and aerial ability as two of his strengths, unlike Hojlund who struggles to anticipate passes and loose balls while hardly gets his head on crosses.
Even if INEOS secure the signing of a top striker in the summer, the idea is for the ex-Atalanta star to depart while Chido Obi has shown more than enough potential to stay on and play as an understudy.
The Denmark U20 international was delighted with his two goals on Friday and told MUTV (via MEN) how much he is looking forward to next season.
And he already has plans on how to improve even further, explaining his extra hours working with the finishing coach to hone his skills.
“Amazing. It’s a big moment because I’ve been waiting a long time for it, so it’s good. The fans here have been absolutely amazing. They cheer for us the whole game.
Chido Obi preparing for life next season
“Every time I get the opportunity, I stay out to do extra (training) with the finishing coach. In the break, I would like to work hard and stay fit, so I can be ready for next season.”
Fans will be delighted to hear how much effort Chido Obi is putting in behind the scenes. But it still does not take away from the fact that INEOS need to secure a replacement for Hojlund this summer.
They faced rejection in the form of long-term target Liam Delap choosing Chelsea over the Red Devils despite months of work being put in by Jason Wilcox.
Now the co-owners are scrambling for an able replacement and it remains to be seen who they can sign.
Feature image Lewis Storey via Getty Images
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Ayantan Chowdhury
Ayantan has worked for 10 years in the Indian sports media industry, writing for the biggest newspapers and websites but his heart was always set on writing about his favourite club. Currently an editor at The Peoples Person. You can follow him on X: @ayantanc_25
