United have not held discussions with Adam Lawrence over staying at the club beyond this season. In January, Lawrence returned to United to manage the Under-21s for the remainder of the campaign.
Travis Binnion was formerly United’s U21 manager, but he stepped up to the first team to help Darren Fletcher during his caretaker stint and was subsequently appointed to Michael Carrick’s backroom staff.
The reshuffle created a vacancy with the U21s. Lawrence was formerly United Under-18 manager but stepped away from the role last summer before spending four months managing Newcastle’s U21s.
The Manchester Evening News reported earlier in January that Lawrence’s return was being considered. Positive discussions took place, and the appointment was seen as mutually beneficial for both parties. United announced Lawrence would manage the U21s as interim for the remainder of the campaign.
Man Utd midfielder Jack Moorhouse was around the first team last season and is set to feature in pre-season.
Moorhouse pictured in first-team training.(Image: 2026 Manchester United FC)
Manchester United youngster Jack Moorhouse is in contention to feature for the first team in pre-season this summer. Moorhouse was recalled from his Leyton Orient loan in January and has occasionally trained with the senior team since his return.
Moorhouse signed for Orient on a season-long loan in August, but it was announced late on deadline day in the winter window that his time at Brisbane Road had been cut short.
With Leyton Orient fighting relegation, manager Richie Wellens believed that Moorhouse’s game time could become limited. An agreement was reached with United to send Moorhouse back to his parent club earlier than expected, which has made him available for Under-21 fixtures again.
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Moorhouse showed glimmers of quality in the first half of the season, making 24 appearances. Leyton Orient were happy with him, but they felt a recall was the best choice for his development.
Ruben Amorim named Moorhouse in a handful of first-team squads last season and Michael Carrick named him on the bench in recent Premier League games against Everton and Crystal Palace.
U21 interim manager Adam Lawrence was recently asked about what will happen next with Moorhouse. “I think for someone like Jack again, it would be his progress between now and the end of the season to then look at what his next step is or the next senior opportunity that he gets,” he said.
Moorhouse is expected to feature on tour this summer with many senior players representing their nations at the World Cup, but he is slightly behind a few of his academy teammates.
“He’s not been as consistent as Shea Lacey [who trains with the first team each day], to be honest,” Lawrence said. “It’s fairly often that the players will go across with the first team anyway. He’s not a staple, like a Jack Fletcher, Shea Lacy, but he’s over there often enough.
“I think between his level of performances in U21s games up until then [the summer], again, there’s always got to be a bit of room to say to the player, go and perform there. Get your loan, get you in the first team.
“The club’s part is to create the pathway. The player’s job is to force the pathway and make that final part. And that’s where Jack sits at the moment. Again, there’s no bigger fan of Jack than me in terms of his qualities. He’s a lovely player. He receives the ball on the back foot, the way that he can travel and glide with the ball.
“What we’re looking for him to do is now, between now and the end of the season, in those U21s games, like a Madrid, U21s playoffs, can you perform at the elite level and make the difference? Because we feel that he can. And that’s the bit of pressure that we would put on those types of players in those games as well.”
Lawrence continued: “I think in our system, he would be an 8 or a 10, so he’s more comfortable centrally. But as you’ve alluded to, we’ve got a lot of midfield players in the squad at the moment.
“And what Jack is, he can be quite versatile and he can play off the sides in terms of he can start in a wide position and drift into the middle as opposed to start in the middle.
“We’ve been quite flexible around how we try to use him. But longer term, obviously, it’s just my thoughts. I would say like an 8 or a 10 would be his longer-term position.”
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Man Utd Under-21s will welcome Real Madrid to Old Trafford in an exciting game for the academy on Tuesday night.
The U21s take on Real Madrid at Old Trafford.(Image: 2013 AFP)
Adam Lawrence is anticipating to “an amazing occasion” when Manchester United’s Under-21s face Real Madrid at Old Trafford on Tuesday night. The U21s ae set to take on Los Blancos in the Premier League International Cup quarter-final.
In the competition’s group stage, United beat Athletic Bilbao, Borussia Dortmund and Sporting Lisbon, but they will face their toughest challenge yet when they welcome Madrid to Old Trafford.
Madrid have one of the finest youth systems in the world, regularly recruiting some of the most talented young players to join their ranks with the intention of promoting them to their first team.
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Thiago Pitarch has been a recent success story at Madrid. The 18-year-old started against Manchester City in the Champions League last month after playing in the PL International Cup earlier in the season.
United will field the strongest team they can on Tuesday, with U21 interim boss Lawrence having already spoken with Michael Carrick about which young players could be available.
Speaking to the Manchester Evening News ahead of Madrid’s visit, Lawrence said: “It will be an amazing occasion. You try to be humble, but to be involved in this type of fixture, and for the players to experience this type of game at Old Trafford, it’s fantastic.
“The way we were talking, it would be a Grade A game where players are available. There aren’t too many games around it where it can be semi-clear that we can put a bit of emphasis on it. The lads have obviously achieved well in the competition to get to that stage as well.
“I think we are the only English team to still be in it, or there’s only a couple. Now you’ve got to this stage, you’ve got to that stage in a developmental way. Now you get to the quarter-finals in this type of game. Let’s see how we are in a one-off game under that type of stage and all the bits around it.
“It’s a fantastic occasion and obviously we want to give a good account of ourselves individually, collectively within that type of game as well.”
Discussing the team’s preparation, he said: “I think, in all honesty, at the moment we have a lot of the players on international duty, and we’ve just come off a four-day break. So the players who didn’t go away internationally, we gave them four days off.
“Today [Monday 30 March] is actually our first day back in, and then obviously we’ve got the Leeds game on Friday. So to be honest, the lads are obviously aware of the Real Madrid game, and everyone’s excited about it.
“But we have to be fully focused around Friday, and the Leeds game, and then it was sort of like the back end of the week, Sunday, that we started paying real attention to how we’re going to approach the game technically, tactically, and all those bits around it.
“And as well, with the programme between now and the end of the week, you couldn’t pick a team for the Real Madrid game. As a coach you understand that at this level you can’t be looking too far ahead because you have first-team fixtures, first-team training, and different parts of the programme.
“So you have an eye on things and you plan further. You know that you have to be very fluid and adaptable off the plan. But specifically for that game, we’d concentrate on Leeds, then review and reflect on that and then start looking obviously at the Madrid game on Sunday and Monday.”
There’s plenty of young talent emerging from Manchester United’s academy
James Nolan [L] believes Shea Lacey [R] is destined for big things(Image: Manchester United via Getty Images)
While rivals Arsenal and Liverpool have enjoyed watching teenage talents take centre stage this season, Manchester United have their own reasons for optimism. Considerable focus has centred on JJ Gabriel, who must wait until next campaign to make his Premier League bow due to competition regulations, but another academy starlet has already made his bow.
Shea Lacey has yet to turn 19 but is still slightly older than Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Liverpool’s Rio Ngumoha. Nevertheless, former United team-mate James Nolan reckons the winger – who made his Premier League debut in December – possesses genuine quality and is unlikely to be put off by an early red card.
“Shea is that guy,” Baller League star Nolan told Mirror Football, recalling stopping in digs with the England youth international when the pair were together in United’s academy. He witnessed Lacey receive a red card on his FA Cup debut against Brighton in January but maintains even that incident doesn’t diminish the ability he has displayed.
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“He’s just got it,” he added. “He’s playing 10, 15 minutes, but you can see the level he’s at.” Nolan, who skippered United’s Under-18 squad and operated at right-back and left-back throughout his academy stint, has first-hand experience precisely what makes the best wingers so tough to play against.
When about the best wide man he has played against, Lacey might not have got the name-check on that occasion, but there was a good reason for it.
“When the first team played Barcelona in the Europa League at the Nou Camp, United and Barca spoke and we played [against their academy team] in the morning and then watched the first team at night,” he explained.
“I came on in the second half and there’s a little 13-year-old kid stood on the side. He comes on and I’m thinking, ‘Oh, nice and easy, this.’ It ended up being Lamine Yamal.
“So he comes on and gets the ball passed to him. I’m tight to him and then takes a touch inside, probably 25 yards out and just whips it top corner. Yeah. I’m thinking, ‘Alright.’ Then two minutes later, I try to nail him and he skips past me and does exactly the same.”
He added: “I’ve played [against] Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal. You’ve got Myles Lewis-Skelly. Nico O’Reilly, Rico Lewis. And obviously played with Kobbie [Mainoo], played with [Alejandro] Garnacho, played with Shea Lacey.
“There’s been that many where I’ve stepped off the football pitch and thought, ‘You know what? Fair play.’ You know when you’re coming up against someone when with the first touch they just go and do that like with Yamal.
“It’s just special. I’ve been lucky to play against these players and it’s one of those things where I’ll always remember it and it’s been a brilliant time doing it.”
The next in line could be Gabriel, who only celebrated his 15th birthday in October. Nolan recalls coming across the youngster during his own spell in United’s academy and describes it as “scary” to witness how rapidly he has grown into a player who is now knocking on the door of a first-team opportunity.
“When we used to be in college doing our Btecs, he used to come into the school and then he used to train with us in the afternoon and even at 12, 13, it was mental [how good he was],” Nolan continued.
“I think with certain players, when you get to the 14, 15 age, you just know straight away. For me, I think once Shea gets his chance, he’ll do very well for himself.”
Nolan isn’t the only one to have been genuinely impressed by Lacey’s talent. Former United title-winner Clayton Blackmore championed the “if you’re good enough, you’re old enough” philosophy, while the club’s own managers have supported the teenager in the most definitive manner possible by granting him senior appearances.
Under-21s coach Adam Lawrence has highlighted the winger’s “elite technical level” as Lacey continues to train with the first team alongside game time for the younger squad. He has netted eight goals in nine Premier League 2 appearances this campaign and was included on the bench by Carrick for a victory over Fulham in February.
Nolan was close to finding himself in the same boat not that long ago, training with United’s senior squad and coming as close as you can to making a first-team squad without quite taking that last step. These days he’s enjoying a different kind of football challenge in Baller League, playing with and against other players with academy or senior experience, though he knows what it means to be asked to train with the likes of Bruno Fernandes at United.
“Going into like first team like Man United is so fast paced,” he said. “Your touch has to be perfect every time, but I think even for younger lads who got to train at 14 or 15, it opens your eyes to how good they actually are.”
The 20-year-old has rediscovered his passion for the game after a decade-long spell with United came to an end
James Nolan is enjoying his football again after a tough few months(Image: Baller League)
Just a couple of days before Christmas 2024, James Nolan discovered his Manchester United career would be drawing to a close. The full-back spent over a decade at United, captaining the Under-18s side and playing alongside future first-teamers Kobbie Mainoo and Jack Fletcher, but would leave a few months later without making a senior appearance.
Nolan, from Chorley, has fond memories of his time at Old Trafford but acknowledges he fell out of love with football following his release as he found it tough to find a new club. A switch to the small-sided Baller League has transformed that, however, with the 20-year-old enjoying being surrounded by others who share similar experiences of 11-a-side football to his own.
“I was very close to Man United’s first team,” Nolan told Mirror Football. “I was packed and ready to go to Wembley when they played Coventry in the FA Cup semi-final. [Sofyan] Amrabat was injured and I was near enough there, then Amrabat ends up being fit.
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“Then, going out to America [in pre-season] on my first year pro, I’ve got all my kit and then on the day I wasn’t named in the squad to go. So I was touching it [and] that’s why I think I was obviously so disheartened by it all. Because you’re that close and then to obviously be so far away, it’s difficult.”
Nolan joined United aged seven before rising all the way up to Under-21 level – where he proved versatile across both full-back roles – and earning a pro deal with the club. He turned his attention to securing a loan switch for the 2024/25 campaign as he sought his first experience of senior football, securing a temporary move to Inverness Caledonian Thistle following a deadline day approach from manager Duncan Ferguson.
“A couple of months into my time there, I’m loving it, playing every game, scored my first professional goal against Cove Rangers… and then we went into administration,” he said. “The plan from United, my agent and me was to go there till Christmas and then you can come back down south and [United might want me to go] somewhere else.
“We went into administration before Christmas. And then it was two days before Christmas while I was just about to drive back home before Christmas.. I got a phone call from the two main guys United in the academy just thinking it was a check-up.
“I hadn’t really heard much from from United whilst I’d been up there. So it was two days before Christmas, I get a phone call and just think it was a chat [but] near the end of the phone call I got this feeling that something was coming.
“In my head, I’d thought I’d done well, I thought I’d done myself justice up there and then they just turned round and said that we aren’t going off for you a new contract, which is obviously a kick in the teeth. It was a tough one to take and then it did sort of ruin my Christmas
“After that I’d sort of fallen in love with Inverness, as a club, because you’re sort of so alone up there, isolated, so everyone’s so close. I thought, you know what? I’ll see if anything comes up in the January transfer window. And if not, I’m happy to stay. And then nothing came up but then we ended up finishing the season off staying up with the minus 15 [points]. So it was a massive achievement.”
Nolan had trained alongside United’s first team after progressing through the academy, including with Cristiano Ronaldo in one of the final sessions before the veteran departed in 2022. He speaks warmly of how the coaching staff handled him, though, mentioning Steve McClaren and Darren Fletcher by name, while also holding fond memories of some of the senior players.
“All the coaching staff were absolutely sound but I think Steve and Darren took that fatherly figure and got you involved,” he added. “Then obviously [when you] meet in the little boot section where everyone put their boots on, everyone would come over to say hi and then obviously you’d walk out and then you’re looking next to you and you’ve got Bruno, but everyone gets you involved.
“It’s not like you’re going into like the Lion’s den. Everyone understands that. Yeah, you’re under 18, under 21, whatever. But they obviously know you’ve got enough to be there so they sort of take you under their wing.
“Harry Maguire was top with it. He was very good looking after us. We had Scott McTominay, obviously, he’s come through, you know, when it’s like and then obviously you’ve got Rashy (Marcus Rashford) as well.
“You genuinely can’t knock them. Everyone’s just normal lads, everyone’s there because you love football and it’s special because it’s a once in a lifetime thing to do.
“It’s like, 0.01 percent for someone, that. Such a small margin of people get to do it and I’ve been one of them that has got to experience it, which I’ll obviously be forever grateful for.”
Following the completion of his season-long loan, it was time to bid farewell and seek new opportunities. He came back to United to collect his belongings and say some goodbyes but efforts to find a new club weren’t as successful as he’d initially hoped.
“I was lucky at that point to have my missus and my family around me because it was a really tough two or three months after I got released. Because I felt like there was nothing to show from my hard work,” Nolan said.
“I fell out in love with it, which is a tough pill to swallow because football had been my whole life forever. I knew absolutely nothing different from that.”
Nolan spent some time in non-league at the start of the 2025/26 season but consciously chose to step back to spend more time with family and friends, something he hadn’t been able to do as much while at United. He acknowledges that his preference to dive straight into men’s football rather than return to the academy life after his release may have limited his options – his stint at Inverness had whetted his appetite and he craved more, despite the challenge of administration.
Eventually, the opportunity to earn a Baller League deal presented itself. A number of players in the small-sided league have signed up after stints in top academies, with former Tottenham forward Kazaiah Sterling and ex-United and Arsenal goalkeeper Hubert Graczyk among those who’ve made the switch.
Nolan sought advice from his friend Bryan Ly to get a sense of what to expect and was immediately sold on the idea. Ly was the top scorer in the inaugural Baller League season with 21 goals and is now in his third year in the competition, while he also has experience of non-league football.
“I spoke to him about it [and he] said it’s probably one of the best things he’s ever done,” Nolan revealed. “When the opportunity came up, with things that have happened on my side with 11-a-side, I thought I can’t say no.
“It’s like a once in a lifetime thing and [if] I go and do well. It opens more doors for me and it’s just an unreal experience to be a part of.”
United have emphasised the measures they’ve taken to support their former players – those who have moved on to play elsewhere after graduating from the academy. The initiative, dubbed ‘United Once, United Forever’, was unveiled during the 2023/24 season with the aim of broadening players’ understanding of all facets of football, not merely the playing aspect.
Nolan seems to have found a sense of community through Baller League but Nick Cox, United’s director of academy when the project was launched, acknowledged that each situation is unique. “It’s also about creating a network for the young players where they can share experiences, ideas and skills to the betterment of everyone,” Cox stated.
“These boys may not have achieved what they hoped to on the football pitch but you tend to find that young boys who are committed to excellence in football are really resilient, resourceful, creative, purposeful, talented young people.”
Nolan’s switch to Baller League has seen him join forces with the Gold Devils squad, overseen by YouTuber Mark Goldbridge, where his colleagues include the competition’s record goalscorer Bilal Sayoud. He acknowledges the league is brimming with quality, whether that’s the ex-Premier League stars or the gifted players who never secured their chance at the elite level of 11-a-side football.
Nolan explains: “It’s just such a mix of players where you look and think ‘you can go far’. Even in Baller League, Bilal’s been there three seasons and he’s done unbelievable. It just just opens more doors and then gives you experiences that you might never have again.”
His spell at Manchester United might not have concluded as he’d have wished but Nolan can still look back at the positives. Beyond that, he’s delighted to have discovered a setting where he can relish his football once more.
The Manchester United youngster was among several to send their messages of support after a new deal was announced for Jaydan Kamason
21:14, 03 Apr 2026Updated 21:14, 03 Apr 2026
Kai Rooney has sent a message of support for a Man United team-mate
Kai Rooney was among the Manchester United starlets to send their messages of support to youngster Jaydan Kamason after he signed a new contract until the summer of 2028, with the option of a further year. Last season, the full-back was part of a strong Under-18 squad and was included on the bench under Ruben Amorim in both the home and away matches of the Europa League quarter-final and semi-final.
The 19-year-old has missed parts of the current campaign through injury, but has still managed 15 appearances for the Under-21s. United signed Kamason from grassroots outfit Stockport Vikings for the Emerging Talent Programme (ETP) aged 10 and became the first player from that scheme to put pen to paper on a professional deal with the club.
After signing a new deal, Kamson took to social media and said: “Proud moment for me and family to sign a new long-term contract at this special club. We thank God and keep pushing. More to come, just a matter of timing.”
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Several Manchester United youth stars were quick to off their support, with Kai Rooney attaching a video of a man applauding.
Jack Fletcher responded with a fire emoji, while his brother Tyler Fletcher sent a red loveheart emoji. Fellow United prospect Chido Obi commented with a laughing and flames emoji.
Jacob Devaney and Habeeb Ogunneye both commented: “Congrats bro [loveheart emoji].”
Fomer Man United youngster Joe Hugill commented: “Nice u [applauding emoji].”
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U21s head coach Adam Lawrence heaped praise on Kamason after his goal against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup last season. He said: “Jaydan has been in real good form of late, so he’s in that position where he’s put in some real strong and consistent performances, as you’d expect from a second year U18 player here.
“He’s in a real good space. He’s such a fantastic kid, he’s got real good athleticism and he likes to get forward on the outside. And listen, he’ll be watching that goal back for a while.
“He’s always been a full-back that has liked to get forward and he can wear people down, he’s wiry, he’s very athletic and can get on top of people and really impact the game in the final third.
“We’re really excited about him and think that he has real big potential, but he’s a humble kid and he’ll know he needs to get better and that he’s got things to work on.”
Man United Under-21s fielded a strong team to claim an important 2-1 win against Leeds in the Premier League 2.
Jack Fletcher scored a brace.(Image: MUTV)
Jack Fletcher scored a brace as Manchester United Under-21s won 2-1 against Leeds in the Premier League 2 on Friday afternoon. The win means the U21s have climbed to the top of the table.
Fletcher got on the scoresheet twice in the first half to send United on their way to victory. His first goal was intended as a cross, but the second was well-taken after an impressive attacking sequence.
The youngster has been training with the first team this season. Fletcher made his senior debut against Aston Villa in the Premier League in December, and he made another two appearances from the bench in games against Newcastle and Wolves.
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The U21s will not win the Premier League 2 if they finish top of the division, as the league changed its format from the beginning of 2023/24 to include a play-off stage at the end of the campaign.
The top 16 teams in the Premier League 2 qualify for the elimination play-offs. For the play-offs, teams are drawn against each other based on their league positions. For example, the team finishing first will face the team that finished 16th.
Adam Lawrence named a strong team to face Leeds on Friday, with the likes of Chido Obi, Shea Lacey, Jack Moorhouse and Tyler Fredricson starting, suggesting a similar approach will be taken against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
The U21s will take on Madrid in the Premier League International Cup quarter-final at Old Trafford. United hope a strong crowd attends the game, but tickets are priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children.
Lawrence spoke to the Manchester Evening News ahead of Madrid’s visit and he was asked if Lacey, who is now seen as a first-team player, would be available for selection.
“Ah, I’d have to try and sweet-talk Michael,” Lawrence joked. “As a coach, you want to have Shea available for as many games as possible. But at the same time, what he’s doing with the first team at the moment is really, really good and beneficial for him/
“I think more importantly for next week, we’ll just be looking ahead to what the first-team involvement is and then look at which players will be available in the games.
“But again, that’s sort of like naturally done with Travis and the staff as well. But Michael has been really, really supportive, and he understands in terms of the marquee games for the academy and the ones that he and the club feel are really, really good to be involved in.
“They would obviously support us, but obviously not at the expense of what the first team are doing or their programme. Michael spoke to me last week. The message coming from him is obviously really good.”
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A new report has cast some light on how Man Utd have fared from selling academy players in the past decade.
Manchester United could have sold Alvaro Carreras, Scott McTominay and James Garner for more than they did
When Manchester United sold James Garner to Everton late in the 2022 summer transfer window, it felt like it sparked a shift in the way academy prospects were viewed at Old Trafford.
Garner was coming off the back of a hugely successful loan spell with Nottingham Forest in the Championship, and with vacancies in United’s midfield, it seemed like that summer was his chance to nail down a squad place.
But Garner suffered from an unfortunately timed injury at the start of the club’s pre-season tour and then found he was unable to win over Erik ten Hag when he did get fit. Rather than becoming the latest academy graduate to become part of the first team, he was sold.
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United decided to cash in on Garner while his stock was high. They accepted a £15million offer from Everton, which, in hindsight, looks well below his value. Now 25, Garner looks a certainty to win Everton’s player of the year award and has emerged as the March bolter that could grab a place in England’s World Cup squad.
In an era when selling academy players can help balance the books, Garner started a trend, along with Andreas Pereira, who was also sold in the summer of 2022. A year later, Dean Henderson, Matej Kovar and Anthony Elanga were sold off.
In 2024, it was Alvaro Carreras, Willy Kambwala, Hannibal Mejbri, Scott McTominay and, in slightly different circumstances, Mason Greenwood. The sale of Alejandro Garnacho to Chelsea for £40million last year came in as United’s record departure for an academy graduate.
Despite these sales, United’s ability to profit from their academy can still improve, according to a new CIES Football Observatory report. United rank seventh in Europe (and fourth in the Premier League) for the value of sales in the last five years. In the last decade, they are down in 19th, with sales totalling £189million.
The figures for the last five years show United’s sales of €220millon pale in comparison with Chelsea (€366m) and Manchester City (€318m), two clubs that have become the gold standard for raising funds through the sale of homegrown players.
It’s certainly an area United can improve on, as Sir Jim Ratcliffe noted in October last year. The 73-year-old isn’t in the habit of varnishing his views these days, and his comments to The Business podcast fell into that category.
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“The academy has really slipped at Manchester United. You need the academy to be producing talent all the time,” he said.
“It helps you financially. That’s not a light switch. You don’t solve the academy problem overnight. It takes time. We just recruited a new academy director.”
Some of those departures from Old Trafford are notable for the poor value they have come to represent. Garner is worth at least double that £15million. McTominay joined Napoli for £30million and is now a hero in Naples. Not only that, United spent £50million on a replacement (Manuel Ugarte) who has proved to be an inferior player.
They sold left-back Carreras to Benfica for £5million, topping up that fee through a sell-on when he then signed for Real Madrid for £43million. The use of sell-ons has become more common for United in recent years and it’s a practice used regularly by Manchester City, who attract huge fees for academy players and then can often profit again if they move on to bigger and better things.
There will be more academy departures at Old Trafford this summer, headlined by Marcus Rashford, although at 28, it feels like he fits into a different category. It is becoming a regular sight every year, however, and Ratcliffe’s view that United need to make more money from this route has just been reinforced.
Chido Obi has not made a senior appearance this season, but Man Utd staff retain belief in the promising young striker.
12:00, 02 Apr 2026
Obi has spent the season playing for the academy.(Image: 2025 Manchester United FC)
Manchester United fans couldn’t get enough of Chido Obi last season. The young striker was heralded as a future star and the buzz increased when he outshone Rasmus Hojlund in a handful of cameos.
Obi stole the show during the post-season tour in Hong Kong and started the summer’s opening pre-season game in Stockholm, but there were signs of potential and greenness in equal amounts.
By the end of the summer, United decided it was best for Obi to stay in the academy. “I think there was obviously a conscious decision at the start of the season from the club for Chido to concentrate his development in the academy environment,” Adam Lawrence said.
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“I do think that has been a good thing for him on the whole. Sometimes players are accelerated into the first team because they have good potential. Chido is a high-potential player, of course.
“But I think at the back end of last year, the first team were light in that area of the pitch. That then means that some of it is a little bit of necessity. But he has got real quality and potential as well.”
The Manchester Evening News spoke to Lawrence for his first external media interview in 2023, and were invited to speak to the academy coach again following his return to manage the Under-21s.
The conversation with Lawrence at Carrington was dominated by questions about Obi, who has made a single Premier League squad this season after making eight first-team appearances last term.
Obi felt like he was on the cusp of a permanent breakthrough and gained further encouragement when he started in Stockholm last summer. Ruben Amorim started him over Hojlund that afternoon, but he was brought back down to earth when the plan to give him more time to develop in the academy was communicated.
Just as the season got underway, there was a hint of frustration when Obi removed United from his Instagram bio, but it was soon restored, and he reacted positively to the disappointment on the pitch.
“Chido loves football. He definitely loves football,” said Lawrence. “Naturally with any player, when you’ve had that first-team exposure, and then you have that bit where you’re not around it as often, that’s going to have an impact on your short-term.
“It will impact the way you see things, or a bit of disappointment or frustration. But I think credit to Chido again because he has thought ‘this is the situation that I’m in. This is what I’m working towards to help take my game to the next level, and then I’m going to go after it’.”
Lawrence is uniquely positioned to provide insight because he has spent plenty of time coaching Obi. Lawrence was Under-18 manager when Obi arrived from Arsenal, and the pair have rekindled their relationship since Lawrence returned to the club in January.
“I think what Chido has benefited from of late is just routine, the rhythm and a settled programme,” he said. “Although he’s been going between the U18s and U21s, his training week roughly looks the same.
“He’s got the same people working with him, similar groups of players. I think he’s someone who’s benefited from the consistency and rhythm. Obviously, the concussion against Chelsea was a freak accident.
“It was a real setback for him because in the weeks previous to that, he looked really, really good. Chido at his best, I would say, in a couple of the U18s games, one was against City, and then he had another standout performance, and he looked a level above for the U21s against Leicester.”
The MEN reported that United staff were delighted with Obi’s performance in the U18 Manchester derby, believing his off-the-ball display was among his finest of the season.
“He pressed intensely and led the line, looking like a proper player,” Lawrence said. “That’s what we want him to look like consistently. Of late, he’s had more training opportunities with the first team. He has been over there two or three times.”
The feedback from Travis Binnion, who stepped up from his position as U21 manager to work in Michael Carrick’s backroom staff, on Obi’s performances in first-team training has been good.
“Trav has been positive on the whole, just in terms of his mentality, his energy within training sessions,” said Lawrence. “Naturally, first-team training will challenge him in different ways and give him those different challenges, which is obviously really good for him.”
United have laid out an individual development plan for Obi, as they do for every academy player, which Lawrence said is “clear in terms of what we’re going after for the individual parts of his game”.
Obi has benefited from developing away from the spotlight. “I think the good thing for him to understand is that [improvement] is from how he’s been training and performing at the academy level,” said Lawrence.
“He’s one of those players you try to have little and often conversations with. I like him because he’s really open and honest when he speaks to us, you know, that coach and player relationship.
“And he’s in a good place at the moment. I think he’s making good progress, and he’s training and playing with a smile on his face, which is massive.”
Lawrence continued: “I think the other message that we get across to the players is you don’t get this time back, this development period where you sit in between the academy and the first team.
“Once you get into the first team, you’re expected to perform every game. You’re put under a microscope in terms of how much publicity is around it. There is an expectancy around the U18-U21 age groups, but they’re still getting developmental work. It’s a more protected environment.
“We’re working really hard, not just with Chido, but with all the players in this period, to get them to understand you don’t get these years back. We want players to stay in the first team, not just go into the first team. Our job is to help them prepare to reach that level.”
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Obi has scored 15 goals in 24 appearances for the academy this season. His goalscoring rate has reduced (he scored 15 goals in 19 academy games last term), but his overall displays have improved.
That hasn’t stopped constant shouts of “Chido!” from the touchline during matches. “When a coach is tough on players, or they spend more time with them, it means that they really, really believe in the player,” said Lawrence.
“It’s a bit like with your child, there are times where you’re going to be really supportive, and you need to put your arm around them. There are times when you need to give them a nudge and let them stand on their own two feet.
“I think the brilliant thing that Chido has got is, you know, between Travis [Binnion], Darren Fletcher, Colin Little, all the coaches working with him, he’s got a group of people that really believe in his potential and are working really hard to help him fulfil that.
“And then, obviously, the player has got to turn up every day, or more often than not, hungry to develop, hungry to improve. We’re pushing Chido. We want him to go up levels and keep improving.”
Michael Carrick has cast his eye over Obi in first-team training. Carrick inherited a team not in Europe and already out of the cup competitions, which has limited opportunities for young players, but Obi will get a chance to show what he can do during pre-season again this summer.
“Personally, I think the club were right to do what they did in the window just gone. I think it was the right time for Chido to stay in the building to get some rhythm, some consistency,” said Lawrence.
“And then ultimately his level of progression and performance will dictate what happens in the summer. I think for Chido it’s maximising between now and the end of the season, all the opportunities that he’s going to get.
“Pre-season is when the first-team staff will look at players and then decide what is best for them. We’re trying to prepare every player for the first-team environment. If he made that much progress or he got to that stage, then obviously the first team would make that decision.
“A lot can happen between now and pre-season. It’s probably not an easy one to answer in black and white, but there’s definitely going to be opportunities there for him. It would just be where his game is at that specific time to dictate what happens next.”
Obi threatened a breakthrough last summer. This summer, he could genuinely achieve it.
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Lawrence spoke to the MEN ahead of next week’s U21 game against Real Madrid in the Premier League International Cup quarter-final.
Manchester United supporters have reason to be excited for the future if these players are anything to go by
06:00, 30 Mar 2026
JJ Gabriel has been the standout Manchester United academy player this season(Image: James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)
Manchester United have a rich history when it comes to promoting players from their academy into the first team. The Class of ’92 will forever be the standard the Reds aspire towards for their young players but in recent years, golden generations have been few and far between.
That being said, we have still seen gems come through the ranks who have contributed to the first team. Kobbie Mainoo is the standout of recent years while Marcus Rashford, Scott McTominay, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad have all had varying degrees of success and exposure to the United starting XI.
With Ruben Amorim in charge, the relationship between the first team and academy was strained but, under Michael Carrick’s watch, this is starting to mend. Once again, it seems like the club are united in their approach to development and that pathway from Carrington to Old Trafford is now realistic.
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There are plenty of young players who are impressing but United’s attackers are the ones who are really catching the eye. Even if you are not following the academy regularly, you will have heard of the name JJ Gabriel. The 15-year-old has been the subject of highlight reels aplenty this season.
Despite being in his mid teens, the forward has been excelling in the U18 Premier League and FA Youth Cup. He has scored an astonishing 21 goals in 24 appearances and plays with the elegance of a more seasoned professional. Gabriel has even been invited into first team training sessions this season – a remarkable feat for someone so young.
However, because of his age, Gabriel has been unable to play in the Premier League this season. That ban will lift in the summer and there is already hope he will be able to emulate the success of Max Dowman at Arsenal.
Thanks to the brilliance of Gabriel, Noah Ajayi has floated under the radar this season. However, he is another player who the Reds think highly of.
The 17-year-old German winger has scored a more modest seven goals in 16 appearances this season but has hit red hot form at the right time as United fought their way to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals. That competition is a testing ground for young players and Ajayi is proving more than capable of holding his own.
He is also closer to making that step up to the first team as he has a physical presence that is more suited to senior football. His goal in the victory over Sunderland was a sign of his potential as he showed great awareness to drift through the defence and slot home.
But while Ajayi is progressing nicely away from the limelight, Kai Rooney is having to adapt to senior exposure at just 16.
Of course, his surname has led to this fame but don’t be fooled, Rooney is not simply living off his father’s legacy. The winger has been slowly exposed to the U18s this season and has made his Old Trafford debut in the FA Youth Cup.
He bagged his first U18s goal against Middlesbrough in August and after a spell away from the age group, returned in February to bag a goal and an assist in three U18 Premier League matches. Sadly for Rooney, injury has brought a premature end to his season.
But, those dreaming of another Rooney stealing the headlines for United in the future can take encouragement from the progress he has made this term. All this is incredibly positive for the Reds and should be encouraged for the future.
Continuing to bring players through the academy will allow the Reds to save money in transfer windows. Even if just one of these players becomes a regular United starter, the investment in the academy continues to be worthwhile.
