United starlet ditches England to play for international side in the football wilderness – report

Manchester United starlet Amir Ibragimov has reportedly reached a decision regarding which country to represent between England and Russia. Call-up A recent report covered by The Peoples Person relayed that Ibragimov, considered one of the best and brightest talents currently in the club’s youth ranks, had been selected by Russia for their forthcoming games against Egypt, Burkina Faso and Trinidad and Tobago. Ibragimov is eligible to line up for both England and Russia, but had yet to make a decision on his international future. The forward has already featured for England at Under-15 and Under-16 levels. Although Russia had already confirmed the player’s call-up on social media, the report claimed Ibragimov was weighing up his international future, and that United had not yet been informed. Now, Steven Railston of the Manchester Evening News has seemingly revealed that Ibragimov is set to pledge his allegiance to Russia. Ibragimov decision Railston wrote on X, “Amir Ibragimov has decided to join up with Russia’s senior national team for their upcoming games.” “Big opportunity for the United academy midfielder.” Amir Ibragimov has decided to join up with Russia’s senior national team for their upcoming games. Big opportunity for the United academy midfielder #mufc — Steven Railston (@StevenRailston) May 18, 2026 Ibragimov was part of the United squad that suffered a defeat to Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup final last week. He played in the final, having just returned from a five-month spell on the sidelines with a broken foot. Russia will not be participating in this summer’s World Cup after being banned by FIFA due to their invasion of Ukraine. The last official match Russia’s men’s team played under mainstream competition banners was a 1–0 defeat to Croatia in a 2022 World Cup qualifier back in November 2021. Meanwhile, Michael Carrick and his players are next in action on Sunday when they go away to Brighton & Hove Albion in their final game of the Premier League season. Featured image Ben Roberts photo 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 Latest Top Stories… Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!