Man United’s treasure may be ‘the best in the world’ but he is becoming the new Minoru

Manchester United is a club known for developing a number of world-class talents over the years, many of whom have gone on to have a major impact on the first team.

The Red Devils have a great academy structure in place to thank for their success, producing perhaps the most iconic group of academy graduates in football history, the Class of ’92.

The group collectively made more than 3,000 appearances for the club and helped Sir Alex Ferguson make the club the most successful team in Premier League history.

But in 2025, Ruben Amorim is the manager tasked with developing young prospects and returning to Old Trafford’s glory days.

He currently has a number of top-level talent in his squad, but appears to have grossly mismanaged one player, which could lead to a very unpopular departure.

Koby Mainu’s decline at Manchester United

Back in the 2023/24 season, United appeared to have unearthed yet another top-level talent from their academy in central midfielder Koby Mainu.

Bursting onto the scene at just 18, he made 32 first-team appearances, scoring five times, many of them at crucial moments.

The teenager’s most important goal undoubtedly came in the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City, after which he helped Erik ten Hag win his second trophy with the Red Devils.

But over the past 12 months, Mainu has endured a sharp decline in minutes under Amorim’s tutelage, and the 40-year-old clearly does not see him as part of his plans.

The Englishman has made just 39 appearances since joining in November last year, with only six starts and the rest coming on as a substitute.

In the 2025/26 season alone, the now 20-year-old continued his efforts, appearing in 10 league games, none of which were his first appearances.

He has only played a total of 183 minutes in league play, but every time he is brought off the bench to make an impact, he is playing just 18.3 minutes of football.

As a result, the midfielder has been heavily touted to join Napoli in the winter, potentially making an unpopular move from his boyhood club in the coming months.

United star who could be the next Mynu

Amorim could face a number of selection questions ahead of the new year, as many of the first team members are due to join up with their countries for the African Cup of Nations.

With Brian Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Nousair Mazraoui looking set to play in the tournament for their respective countries, the Red Devils could be short in a number of key areas.

The forward department could be somewhat depleted, given that the trio’s former duo often worked together in the Premier League this season.

Entering the transfer market could well be an option for the manager, but that would involve a big investment after already spending £200m in the summer window.

As a result, the academy is once again able to provide a reliable source of talent, with Chido Obi becoming one of the players who deserves a chance to shine in the senior ranks.

The Dane joined the club from Arsenal in the summer of 2024, initially in the youth team, but has since scored just 17 goals in 21 games at various levels.

His form since then earned him a senior call-up under Amorim last season, and the 18-year-old made eight appearances for the first team, but failed to score.

Described by Lenny Yolo as “one of the best players in the world”, Obi has dropped down to the Under-21 ranks this season and has featured in 13 games so far, scoring five goals while providing two assists for his team-mates.

Benjamin Sesco and Joshua Zirkzee are the current two senior centre-forward options, but the pair have only scored two goals combined in the Premier League this season.

This lack of quality should open the door for a youngster to regain a regular place in the starting XI, but Amorim seems reluctant to play centre-forward.

It could be yet another Mainoo situation unfolding before the eyes of supporters, resulting in the Red Devils losing yet another of their most promising talents.

His goalscoring record at youth level is evidence of his quality in the final third, but it will be vital that the manager supports Obi if he is to thrive at Old Trafford.

Mainu is an example of the quality of players available when placing faith in a club’s academy, but ultimately Amorim is showing his own ignorance given his lack of playing time.

As a result, there is a good chance that Mainu will leave the club, and if the manager continues to ignore his talent, Obi could also become dissatisfied with his lack of first-team action.