Deal done! Man Utd agree surprise late move for Chido Obi

2 Sept 2026 13:59 BST | 4 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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Manchester United’s transfer business for the summer is not over, with the Old Trafford club having struck one final agreement.

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The Red Devils have taken the decision to loan out Chido Obi to Eredivisie side Willem II, with an agreement reached on what is Deadline Day in the Netherlands.

Although the Premier League transfer window has shut, that is not the case for Dutch sides, and United are taking advantage of that fact to send the 18-year-old forward out on loan to gain experience in a first-team setting.

A medical still needs to be completed, but AD reports that the expectation is that the teenaged centre-forward will move to Tilburg until the end of the season.

And it’s a big deal for the Dutch side, with ‘fireworks’ at Willem II over the deal being completed.

Man Utd career stalls

Obi’s star was on the rise under Ruben Amorim, who had integrated him on a regular basis into the first team after his arrival from Arsenal’s academy.

However, his progress stalled prior to Michael Carrick arrival at Old Trafford and he has not featured for United’s senior side since the final day of the 2024/25 season, when he was given nine minutes of a Premier League victory over Aston Villa.

The Dane moved to United off the back of promises of first-team opportunities, but after a season with the youth sides, he is moving on.

What comes as a surprise is not necessarily that he is leaving on loan, but that the Red Devils have left it so late to complete a switch.

Chido Obi’s attitude hailed

Despite the stance, Chido Obi remains highly regarded at Old Trafford, with U18 manager Darren Fletcher revealing that the youngster had begged him for game time towards the end of last season.

“An Under-21 game was cancelled the day before and Chido messaged me, asking to play,” the former Scotland midfielder said.

“I thought it was amazing for Chido to want to play, to not think the Under-18s is beneath him in any way. That just shows how mature he is.

“We can look at Chido’s size and forget how young he is.

“It’s about transferring what he does at under-18 and under-21 football into men’s football. That’s the jump all young players have to make.

“It’s more demanding, it’s more intense, it’s more physical and you have to prepare yourself not just in terms of size, but in terms of thinking, movement, timing, decision making, responsibility out of possession.

“All the young players will face the same challenge and have to show they’re ready to take that next step.”

Chido will now get that chance to shine in the Eredivisie, where he will hope to accumulate first-team experience and goals that will leave him in a better position to play at Man Utd next season.