# Chido Obi
**Chido Obi** (Chidozie Obi, born 2007) is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a striker for [Eredivisie](https://www.edgepedia.org/eredivisie) club Willem II, on loan from Manchester United. A product of Arsenal's Hale End academy, he became Manchester United's youngest-ever starter in a Premier League match for the club at 17 years and 156 days old in May 2025.[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd) • [2](https://theanalyst.com/players/13343/chido-obi/career)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / born | Chidozie Obi, 2007, Copenhagen, Denmark[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd) |
| Position | Striker; right-footed[3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1557220/chido-obi) |
| Clubs | FC København (youth, to 2022), Arsenal (2022–2024), Manchester United (October 2024 – June 2026), Willem II (loan, from 1 July 2026)[4](https://dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/PlayerInfo/8559) |
| Senior debut | 16 February 2025, as a late substitute for Casemiro in a 1-0 Premier League defeat at Tottenham Hotspur; the 252nd academy player to debut for United[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0e433dg044o) |
| Record | Youngest player to start a Premier League match for Manchester United, aged 17 years 156 days, against Brentford on 4 May 2025[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd) |
| Premier League record | 7 appearances, 159 minutes, 0 goals for Manchester United[2](https://theanalyst.com/players/13343/chido-obi/career) |
| International career | Denmark youth international: 19 caps and 12 goals at U17, 4 at U18, 4 at U20, 2 at U21; also represented England Under 16[4](https://dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/PlayerInfo/8559) • [3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1557220/chido-obi) |
## Youth career in Denmark and Arsenal
Obi was born in Copenhagen in 2007 and joined the local club KB as a youngster. He moved to England and joined Arsenal's Hale End academy at age 14, where his progress as a goalscorer was rapid: he was promoted to the Under-18 side at 15, marked his full debut with a hat-trick against Southampton, and featured for the Under-21 side one month later.[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd) He had made his under-21 debut at just 15 and drew international headlines when he scored 10 goals in Arsenal's 14-3 under-16 win against Liverpool.[6](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/transfer/manchester-united-wonderkid-agrees-old-trafford-exit-following-transfer-deadline-report)
In Arsenal's U18 Premier League campaign of 2023/24 he scored 32 goals in 18 appearances.[2](https://theanalyst.com/players/13343/chido-obi/career) At 6 feet 2 inches, he held a marked physical advantage over his peers, and his style and talent drew comparison with [Borussia Dortmund](https://www.edgepedia.org/borussia-dortmund)'s Youssoufa Moukoko.[7](https://www.espn.com.au/football/story/_/id/40869145/man-united-sign-chido-obi-martin-arsenal-everything-need-know)
## Move to Manchester United
He made an immediate impact in United's academy, scoring a 14-minute hat-trick on his Under-18s debut in a 6-0 win against Nottingham Forest.[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd)
After scoring a hat-trick in a 5-1 [FA Youth Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-youth-cup) win over Chelsea on 12 February 2025, he was drafted into the first-team squad, with United short of forward options through injuries, including to winger [Amad Diallo](https://www.edgepedia.org/amad-diallo), and the January loan departures of [Marcus Rashford](https://www.edgepedia.org/marcus-rashford) and Antony.[8](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cpv4jmpmk1ko)
## First-team debut and 2024/25 season
Obi was named in a senior matchday squad for the first time on 16 February 2025 and made his debut as a late replacement for Casemiro in a 1-0 league defeat at Tottenham Hotspur, becoming the 252nd academy player to make a senior debut for the club.[5](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0e433dg044o) He was not, however, included in United's updated Europa League squad list, so he was ineligible for the last-16 tie against [Real Sociedad](https://www.edgepedia.org/real-sociedad) and the rest of that competition.[9](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/football/chido-obi-europa-league-squad-man-utd-b2708789.html)
**Historic start.** On 4 May 2025, in his sixth Premier League appearance, Obi made his first start against [Brentford](https://www.edgepedia.org/brentford) at 17 years and 156 days, becoming the youngest player ever to start a Premier League match for Manchester United. The United starting XI averaged 22 years and 270 days, the third-youngest side named for a Premier League match, behind [Middlesbrough](https://www.edgepedia.org/middlesbrough) at Fulham in May 2006 and Arsenal at [Portsmouth](https://www.edgepedia.org/portsmouth) in May 2009.[1](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd)
He finished the season with eight first-team appearances under manager Ruben Amorim, seven in the Premier League and one in the [FA Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fa-cup), without scoring in competitive senior football. His first senior goals came in a 3-1 post-season friendly victory in Hong Kong.[10](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwydk9m43wxo)
## 2025/26: back to youth football
United's decision, made before the 2025/26 season, was to let Obi develop in youth games away from the spotlight, and he was not called into a single first-team squad that season.[11](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cm2x7nn3n13o)
In December 2025 Amorim, defending his use of young players, publicly criticized Obi's performance levels, and reports said he had failed to watch a single academy game during his 14-month spell as manager; his interim successor [Michael Carrick](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-carrick) attended an Under-21 match within weeks of taking the job.[12](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/person/player/manchester-united-academy-star-set-for-premier-league-return-after-brief-marseille-stint-report) United's youth coaches continued working with the 18-year-old on his all-round game, including his defensive contribution, with the club stressing that assessments should account for his age.[11](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cm2x7nn3n13o)
## Loan to Willem II
He made three Eredivisie substitute appearances totalling 36 minutes without a goal in the opening weeks of the 2026/27 season.[2](https://theanalyst.com/players/13343/chido-obi/career) Transfermarkt valued him at €5 million, and United were reported to prefer a loan while remaining open to a sale for an acceptable offer.[6](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/transfer/manchester-united-wonderkid-agrees-old-trafford-exit-following-transfer-deadline-report)
## International career
Obi has represented Denmark extensively at youth level: 8 caps and 4 goals for the U16s, 19 caps and 12 goals for the U17s, 4 caps and 2 goals each for the U18 and U20 sides, and 2 U21 caps without a goal.[4](https://dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/PlayerInfo/8559) FotMob also records an appearance for England Under 16 before his Danish youth career.[3](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1557220/chido-obi)
## Playing style
Scouting reports describe a striker whose game begins with physical presence, at 6 feet 2 inches, and finishing, with additional strengths in playing with his back to goal and link-up play with teammates.[7](https://www.espn.com.au/football/story/_/id/40869145/man-united-sign-chido-obi-martin-arsenal-everything-need-know) • [13](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/data-analysis/chido-obi-martin-scouting-report-at-manchester-united) A 2025/26 match report also noted his willingness to track back, press for loose balls, and help United stay compact after turnovers.[14](https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/481735/uploads/578f60c1-48ae-4f46-b6b8-a4630fa7253c.pdf)
## References
1. [Obi makes history as youngest Man Utd Premier League starter, Premier League](https://www.premierleague.com/en/news/4302143/teenage-striker-chido-obi-makes-history-for-man-utd)
2. [Chido Obi Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/13343/chido-obi/career)
3. [Chido Obi - stats, career and market value, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/en-GB/players/1557220/chido-obi)
4. [Chidozie Obi, Landsholdsdatabasen, DBU](https://dbu.dk/landshold/landsholdsdatabasen/PlayerInfo/8559)
5. [Chido Obi: The Man Utd teenager becomes third youngest Premier League player for the club, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c0e433dg044o)
6. [Manchester United wonderkid agrees Old Trafford exit following transfer deadline: report, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/transfer/manchester-united-wonderkid-agrees-old-trafford-exit-following-transfer-deadline-report)
7. [Man United sign Chido Obi-Martin from Arsenal - everything you need to know, ESPN](https://www.espn.com.au/football/story/_/id/40869145/man-united-sign-chido-obi-martin-arsenal-everything-need-know)
8. [Man Utd: Why is Chido Obi not in Europa League squad?, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cpv4jmpmk1ko)
9. [Why is Chido Obi not in Manchester United's Europa League squad?, The Independent](https://www.the-independent.com/sport/football/chido-obi-europa-league-squad-man-utd-b2708789.html)
10. [Chido Obi: From Man Utd youth football to seniors and back again, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cwydk9m43wxo)
11. [Manchester United working on Chido Obi's development, BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cm2x7nn3n13o)
12. [Manchester United academy star set for Premier League return after brief Marseille stint: report, FourFourTwo](https://www.fourfourtwo.com/person/player/manchester-united-academy-star-set-for-premier-league-return-after-brief-marseille-stint-report)
13. [TFA's 2025 Breakout XI: Chido Obi Martin Scouting Report At Manchester United, Total Football Analysis](https://totalfootballanalysis.com/data-analysis/chido-obi-martin-scouting-report-at-manchester-united)
14. [Player Report on Chido Obi Martin, Willam Rees](https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/481735/uploads/578f60c1-48ae-4f46-b6b8-a4630fa7253c.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Nordic footballers › Danish footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license