Sports Mole picks out three 16-year-olds at Manchester United who could be on the radar of first-team head coach Ruben Amorim.
New Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim will undoubtedly be looking to the club’s academy system in the coming years, with the Red Devils boasting some of the best young talents in world football.
Under the new structure put in place by minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe, Man United will no longer be overspending on players approaching their 30s, with a lot of focus being placed on promoting from within.
With that in mind, Sports Mole picks out three 16-year-olds who have the potential to become superstars for the 20-time English champions in the coming years.
Man United won the race to sign the supremely gifted Obi Martin over the summer after the forward left Arsenal, and he has made a brilliant start to his career for the Red Devils at Under-18s level.
Obi Martin has managed four goals and one assist in four appearances in the Under-18s Premier League this season, including a hat trick against Nottingham Forest Under-18s on his first start for the club at the end of October.
The striker had a stunning 2023-24 campaign for Arsenal Under-18s, scoring 32 goals in 18 appearances, including 28 goals in his final nine appearances of the campaign, while he also scored 10 times for Arsenal Under-16s in a single match against Liverpool Under-16s last November, demonstrating his incredible potential.
Arsenal battled to keep hold of him, but the forward did not see an obvious route to the first team at the Emirates Stadium; Man United’s striking issues could ultimately lead to them looking towards the goal machine, who will be firmly on Amorim’s radar.
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Mantato, meanwhile, is also considered to be one of the best 16-year-olds in English football, and he has been in excellent form for Man United’s Under-18s this season, scoring six goals and registering one assist in nine appearances.
The right-sided attacker has scored four times in his last three league appearances, including a goal against Everton Under-18s last time out, and he has thrived in a more advanced area after initially coming through as a defender.
His development and playing style have led to comparisons with Arsenal star Bukayo Saka, and a recent report claimed that Amorim is considering promoting him to the first-team group in the near future.
Amorim allegedly believes that Mantato could be perfect for the right-sided wing-back role in a 3-4-3 formation, and he could find himself training with the first team in the coming months if he continues to impress.
Man United academy coach Raducio King has previously compared Ibragimov to a certain Wayne Rooney due to his playing style.
“I could see him playing as a No 10, like a Wayne Rooney role, driving forward, switching balls, tackling, attacking, you name it. Just making sure the team does well – he can attack and defend,” King said.
“I’ve played the game myself and I know being great at that age is good and it’s something to be proud of. However, if the end goal is reaching the first team, you have to keep yourself humble and working. I think he can get there.”
Ibragimov previously spent time with Sheffield United’s youth academy before moving to Man United, and he has since captained their Under-14s and Under-15s, putting in a string of impressive performances.
The attacker, who was born in Russia, has scored five goals and registered two assists in nine appearances in the Under-18s Premier League this season, including a hat trick in the recent clash with Leeds United Under-18s, and he first trained with the senior side at Man United when he was just 15 years old.
