He hadn’t played internationally since November 2018 but was active in the South African domestic circuit till earlier this month
ESPNcricinfo staff27-Dec-2022
Farhaan Behardien ended his career after 97 international appearances•AFP
Farhaan Behardien, the 39-year-old South African batter, has retired after an 18-year career at the professional level, which included 59 ODI and 38 T20I appearances.Behardien, who last played internationally in a T20I against Australia in November 2018, but was in action for Boland in the domestic circuit till earlier this month, said “feet up for a bit and onto the next challenge” in his retirement note on Twitter. He didn’t, however, make it clear if he would continue to play certain formats, at least domestically.
Behardien made his first-class and List A debuts in October 2004. The first-class debut came for Western Province against Eastern Province with Behardien coming out as a lower-middle-order batter and opening the bowling with his medium pace. Over time, though, Behardien did more with the bat and didn’t bowl as much.He was first noticed in a big way in the 2011-12 South African domestic season when he averaged 45.66 in the one-day competition and 66.50 in the T20 version. He was named the South African T20 player of the year at the 2012 CSA awards, which helped him get into the national side.Behardien had it tough in international cricket The international debut came in a T20 game against India in Johannesburg in March that year, and he played his first World Cup – the T20I event – in Sri Lanka later that year. He made his ODI debut in January 2013, at home against New Zealand, and went on to be part of the South Africa set-up at two T20 and two ODI World Cups.Overall, he tallied 1074 runs at an average of 30.68 and strike rate of 97.90 in ODIs and 518 runs at an average of 32.37 and strike rate of 128.21 in T20Is, with the riches in the middle order usually forcing him to bat low in the order and perform the finisher’s role.In January 2017, Behardien was named South Africa’s T20I captain for a three-match series against Sri Lanka at home. This came on the back of strong performances for Titans in the domestic T20 tournament, where he finished as the third-highest run-scorer. The year before, he was part of Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in the IPL, and he later also turned out for Edmonton Royals in the 2018 Global T20 Canada league.
وصلت بعثة فريق النادي الأهلي، إلى مطار ميامي الدولي في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية، من أجل خوض منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية 2025.
ومن المقرر أن تنطلق بطولة كأس العالم للأندية خلال الفترة من 14 يونيو حتى 13 يوليو بمشاركة 32 فريقًا لأول مرة في التاريخ.
طالع | على رأسها زيزو.. قائمة الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية 2025
وكانت انطلقت رحلة الأهلي أمس الأربعاء، من مطار القاهرة الدولي، مرورًا ترانزيت في مطار دبي بالإمارات، حتى الوصول إلى مطار ميامي بالولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.
ويتواجد الأهلي في المجموعة الأولى ضمن منافسات كأس العالم للأندية، رفقة أندية إنتر ميامي الأمريكي، وبورتو البرتغالي، وبالميراس البرازيلي. موعد مباراة الأهلي وباتشوكا الودية قبل كأس العالم للأندية
وينطلق معسكر الأهلي، وتتخلله إقامة مباراة ودية يوم 8 يونيو الجاري أمام فريق باتشوكا المكسيكي، وذلك استعدادًا لخوض مواجهة إنتر ميامي الأمريكي في افتتاح بطولة كأس العالم للأندية.
ويشارك الأهلي في منافسات بطولة كأس العالم للأندية للمرة العاشرة في تاريخه بعدما سبق وخاض منافسات البطولة 9 مرات بنظامها السابق، حقق خلالها الميدالية البرونزية في 4 مرات في أعوام 2006، و2020 و2021 و2023.
Danny Rohl has provided a new worrying injury update regarding a “really good” Sheffield Wednesday player, acting as a blow ahead of an important game against Sunderland on Friday.
Latest Sheffield Wednesday news
It’s fair to say that the Owls’ playoff push has hit the skids in recent weeks, with a number of disappointing results seeing their promotion hopes dented, acting as a reality check at the same time.
Last Friday, Wednesday lost 4-0 away to a Burnley side chasing automatic promotion – one who haven’t conceded in the league since before Christmas – while before that, they suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Coventry City, following a disastrous late error by goalkeeper James Beadle.
These back-to-back losses mean that Rohl’s Owls side sit 12th in the Championship table and now six points adrift of the playoff places, highlighting the need for a huge upturn in form as soon as possible.
On Friday night, Wednesday welcome fourth-place Sunderland to Hillsborough, with further dropped points possibly acting as a nail in the coffin. In fairness, injuries haven’t helped in recent times, not least to the influential Barry Bannan, and now a new update has emerged.
Sheffield Wednesday suffer new injury blow
Speaking to The Star, Rohl confirmed that Sheffield Wednesday winger Anthony Musaba has suffered an injury setback, meaning he will miss the Sunderland game: “At first it looked good, he trained on Sunday (after the Coventry game) but he got a small reaction, now he has had two rejections.
“I hope it is this week, then next week and then before Plymouth he is back. Sometimes at first an issue starts in one part of the body and then maybe with some different movements it goes into another part.
“It is a shame but he is positive and I think he will be available for the end of the season, maybe the last eight or nine games. We are working on it, he is still positive. It is harder of course to have him out of the squad.”
Sheffield Wednesday forward Anthony Musaba.
This is undoubted blow for the Owls ahead of what feels like a must-win game, with Musaba capable of causing problems with his pace and trickery.
While not necessarily always the most consistent player, the 24-year-old can be a match-winner on his day, scoring twice and registering five assists in the league this season, as well as being hailed by Mark Robins back in 2023: “They’ve got some quality. Musaba is a really good player and he’s shown that of late, he’s starting to add goals to his game, he’s quick, he’s powerful, he’s strong and he has got an eye for goal. Cadamarteri up front works his socks off, he never stops running.”
Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season
Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.
ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025
It now has to be a case of other attacking players standing tall against Sunderland in Musaba’s absence, with anything other than victory not feeling like enough. Hopefully, he will be back in the fold sooner rather than later.
Em entrevista dada para o portal ‘ge’, o presidente do Grêmio, Romildo Bolzan, explicou quais foram os conceitos fundamentais para levar a diretoria do clube em aderir a Liga do Futebol Brasileiro (Libra).
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Apesar de pontuar a possibilidade de angariar maior força política no que se refere a negociação de valores em receitas de direitos de TV, dentre outras premiações, Romildo pediu “clareza de todas as partes” nos conceitos formadores da Libra até o fim de atual temporada.
-Uma liga de futebol é uma demanda antiga. Quando se faz uma liga tem que ter alguns conceitos fundamentais. Entender que possam melhorar a posição de negociação no futebol e não diminuir em condições. Para que isso aconteça, ou vende melhor teus contratos ou faz uma rede de distribuição. Como está, tem que melhorar. O Grêmio aderiu à liga por conta disso. Não pela organização de campeonato, mas pelo aspecto político de mais força de negócio, capacidade de folha, um produto uniforme – disse o presidente gremista.
-Até o final do ano tem que ficar muito claro para todos (os clubes). Os contratos terminam em 2024. Até o fim deste ano tem que ter clareza de todas as partes – completou.
Enquanto a diretoria olha para o futuro em médio/longo prazo, o futebol se concentra no próximo desafio da equipe na Série B do Brasileirão onde, no interior de Santa Catarina, o Imortal visitará o Brusque na próxima terça-feira (19).
He has made a mark in T20s in leagues around the world but does not possess first-class experience yet
Firdose Moonda16-Jan-2023
Dewald Brevis is currently featuring for MI Cape Town in the SA20•SA20
Hard-hitting opener batter Dewald Brevis can expect a David Warner-like transition to international cricket as South Africa look to deepen their player pool under a new coaching structure.Former under-19 coach Shukri Conrad, who was in charge of the age-group team at the 2022 World Cup, where Brevis was the top-scorer, and former Central Stags coach Rob Walter, were announced as South Africa’s new red and white-ball coaches respectively and both are keen to fast-track young talent with Brevis top of mind. He has become the most-talked-about batter in South Africa, more so when he struck 162 runs off 57 balls in a domestic T20 match in October, a week before the national men’s side failed to chase 159 in a must-win T20 World Cup match against Netherlands and calls for his immediate promotion grew. Enoch Nkwe, South Africa’s Director Cricket, has heard them and has a plan to get Brevis into the senior set-up soon.Related
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“There’s a lot of noise around Brevis. We know how good he is. He has shown it in SA20, he has played some good cricket and he has been pretty consistent in T20 cricket,” Nkwe said. “In terms of youngsters, the reality moving forward, we might have to do a David-Warner type of approach where there is going to be the transition phase from under-19 cricket into professional cricket through T20 and then ODI and then Test cricket. That’s something we foresee happening in the future.”Warner, who played his 100th Test against South Africa at the MCG, had just 20 domestic white-ball caps to his name before making his international debut in a T20I against South Africa and played in only 11 first-class matches before his Test debut. Brevis already has more experience than that in shorter formats. He has played in 37 T20s including at the IPL, CPL and SA20, and six List A matches but has yet to play a first-class match. As part of a strong Titans’ squad, who are third in the four-day domestic competition, and boasts names like Test captain Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Theunis de Bruyn, and Heinrich Klaasen, it has been difficult for Brevis to get a look-in but playing him in longer formats is top of Nkwe’s mind.”We understand someone like Brevis has a lot of cricket to play and now we have to see how we get him to that longer format? We know that he can offer a lot to South African cricket,” Nkwe said.Asked specifically whether Conrad and Walter have been involved in discussions about Brevis, Nkwe would not be drawn into anything more than reiterating their commitment to development. “Both coaches are big believers in looking after the younger generation but also not just throwing them in the deep end,” he said. “It’s about having a very clear detailed plan of every individual who has been identified and how they are going to form part of the Proteas set-up.”Ultimately, the decision of whether Brevis plays for South Africa will not lie with Conrad and Walter alone. Selection convener Victor Mpitsang and Patrick Moroney are the other two people involved in picking players and, though the coaching set-up has changed, both are contracted until the end of the year. They will be in charge of naming the group of players who will take on England in three World Cup Super League ODIs later this month. Given Brevis’ form – he struck an unbeaten 70 off 41 balls in the SA20 opener and 42 off 34 balls in the third game – he could be a wildcard pick for what are crucial matches for South Africa. They need to win at least one of the ODIs to remain in contention for automatic qualification for this year’s 50-over World Cup and with Nkwe saying the T20 and ODI formats are “close to each other,” it may be time for Brevis to graduate to the big time.The squad is expected to be announced later this week but Walter will not be in charge of it just yet. The new coaches begin work next month and an interim appointment will be made for the England series.
Newcastle United have asked to be kept informed about the situation of a “remarkable” striker who’s scored 19 goals this season, with a view to making a move in the summer transfer window, according to a report.
Isak attracting widespread interest
It is little wonder Alexander Isak has emerged as a target for a number of top clubs, given that the Swedish striker has been prolific in front of goal this season, finding the back of the net 19 times in the Premier League.
Liverpool have now been in contact with Isak’s agents, ahead of a possible £148m move, and with fears mounting at Arsenal about potentially missing out on a deal, Chelsea are also expected to enter talks.
Of course, it will be an extremely difficult task to replace the 25-year-old, should he move on at the end of the summer, which is why Eddie Howe’s side are now planning talks over a new deal, according to widespread reports.
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However, it is also important for Newcastle to have replacements lined up in case the discussions are unsuccessful, and a report from GiveMeSport has now revealed they are eyeing a summer deal for Fiorentina’s Moise Kean.
The Magpies are said to have asked to be kept informed about the striker’s situation, indicating that some degree of contact has already been made, either with Fiorentina or the player’s entourage.
Fiorentina'sMoiseKeanreacts
West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur are also monitoring the situation, with clubs queuing up to bring the forward with “blistering pace” back to the Premier League, where he previously featured for Everton.
The 25-year-old’s spell at Goodison Park was largely disappointing, but he has been in inspired form in the Serie A this season, which has left a number of English clubs considering whether to activate his £44m release clause.
Kean given new lease of life in Italy
The centre-forward struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League after signing for Everton from Juventus, scoring just four goals in 39 games for the club, but he has started to prove himself since returning to his home country.
The Italian has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season, including 15 in the Serie A, which is the second-highest in the league, and he received high praise from the media.
As such, Kean could be ready to have another crack at the Premier League, but his previous exploits in England cast some doubt over whether Newcastle should pursue a deal.
Not only that, but the Magpies’ main priority this summer should be to keep hold of Isak, who has been talked about as one of the best strikers in the world this season.
تتجدد الأنباء بشأن مستقبل نيكو ويليامز لاعب أتلتيك بلباو الإسباني، في ظل ارتباطه بإمكانية الانتقال إلى برشلونة، مع اهتمام عدة أندية أخرى بضمه بينهم بايرن ميونخ الألماني.
ويملك نيكو ويليامز عقدًا مع أتلتيك بلباو يمتد حتى 30 يونيو 2027، وسعى برشلونة لضمه في وقت سابق.
ولم ينجح برشلونة في حسم صفقة نيكو ويليامز لأسباب مادية، وأبدى اللاعب الآن رغبة في اللعب للفريق الكتالوني.
وذكرت تقارير في وقت سابق أن نيكو ويليامز طلب من وكيل أعماله التحدث مع ديكو، المدير الرياضي لبرشلونة.
اقرأ أيضًا | ماركا تكشف موقف تير شتيجن النهائي من الرحيل عن برشلونة
ويفيد الصحفي فلوريان بليتنبرج من سكاي ألمانيا، بأن برشلونة حاليًا يمتلك أفضل الفرص في سباق التعاقد مع نيكو ويليامز، متفوقًا على بايرن ميونخ وآرسنال وتشيلسي، وقد جرت مفاوضات جديدة مهمة خلال الـ 24 ساعة الماضية.
ويُقيّم رئيس برشلونة خوان لابورتا الآن إمكانية إتمام الصفقة، وإمكانية تسجيل ويليامز في الفريق.
وفي حال حصول برشلونة على الضوء الأخضر، من المتوقع إتمام الصفقة، خاصة مع إصرار المدرب هانز فليك على التعاقد مع ويليامز.
وتم إبلاغ بايرن ميونخ بالأمر، وهو الآن ينتظر لمعرفة ما إذا كان بإمكان برشلونة إتمام الصفقة.
تحدث ليونيل ميسي، قائد منتخب فريق إنتر ميامي، عن بطولة كأس العالم للأندية نسخة 2025، قبل بداية مشوارهم فجر يوم الأحد بمباراتهم ضد الأهلي المصري.
وتستضيف أمريكا منافسات النسخة الأولى من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، بنظامها الجديد، بمشاركة 32 فريقًا.
وتنطلق البطولة في الفترة بين 14 يونيو الجاري و13 يوليو المقبل، حيث يشارك إنتر ميامي بعدما تلقى دعوة خاصة من فيفا.
ويتواجد إنتر ميامي في مجموعة تضم كل من الأهلي المصري، بورتو البرتغالي وبالميراس البرازيلي.
اقرأ أيضًا.. غياب مهم في تدريبات إنتر ميامي قبل مباراة الأهلي في كأس العالم للأندية
وتُفتتح منافسات كأس العالم للأندية، فجر يوم الأحد المقبل، بمباراة مرتقبة بين فريقي إنتر ميامي والأهلي.
وقال ليونيل ميسي، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “deportetotalusa” الأمريكية: “إنها بطولة رائعة، متحمس للمشاركة بها، التوقعات مختلفة عما كانت لدي مع فرق أخرى، ولكنني متحمس ومتشوق للغاية من أجل المنافسة مع الأفضل، ومحاولة تقديم أداء جيد”.
وسبق أن توج ميسي بكأس العالم للأندية، في شكلها القديم، 3 مرات مع برشلونة في أعوام 2010، 2012 و2016.
وأضاف: “تأتي فرق كبيرة من جميع أنحاء العالم، تجذب الكثير من المشجعين، وتضم لاعبين مهمين للغاية يتطلع الناس لرؤيتهم”.
وواصل: “إنها بطولة جديدة ومختلفة، تمثل فرصة رائعة لمشاهدة الأفضل، أو بمعنى أدق الكثير منهم، هنا في الولايات المتحدة، إنها فرصة رائعة للاستمتاع بها”.
وأردف:”كما إنها فرصة رائعة لفرق أمريكا الجنوبية وفرق من مختلف أنحاء العالم للتنافس مع الفرق الأوروبية الكبرى، وفرق العالم الكبرى، الفرق التي تمثل مرجعًا والتي تضم الأفضل في العالم”.
واختتم: “إنها فرصة رائعة للتنافس معهم، وتجربة رائعة لكل من اللاعب والجماهير التي ستذهب إلى الملعب للاستمتاع”.
The England pacer, who should continue to take on new-ball duties in New Zealand, has particular issues with the ball used in day-night Tests
Vithushan Ehantharajah12-Feb-2023
Ollie Robinson: “Traditional Test cricket – there’s nothing wrong with it. I don’t think we need to play these pink-ball games”•Matthew Lewis/Getty Images
The drive to Mount Maunganui from Hamilton takes barely a session, through the lush greens and postcard backdrops you’d associate with New Zealand. But on Sunday the vistas were blurred by the first winds and driving rains ahead of Cyclone Gabrielle’s visit to the North Island at the start of next week.Preparations ahead of the opening Test on Thursday at Bay Oval are set to be severely hampered, with domestic flights to nearby Tauranga Airport cancelled, and with no indoor facilities beyond an admittedly impressive marquee that will probably end up as a glorified kite. England are not worried, believing their two-day match against New Zealand XI in Hamilton supplemented by seven intense practice sessions since arriving in the country at the end of February should hold them in good stead.They were certainly in no rush to get down on Sunday evening, stopping along the way for a barbecue at casa del McCullum, which sits at a neat halfway point just outside the town of Matamata. And by all accounts, they aren’t in a rush for the series opener, their seventh pink-ball Test.Related
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“It’s a bit gimmicky,” said seamer Ollie Robinson on day-night matches in general. Perhaps an unsurprising viewpoint from an Englishman given they have lost five out of the six they’ve played, each by considerable margins. The last one over here came just up the road in Auckland back in 2018 – a humiliating innings and 49-run defeat after getting bowled out in their first innings for 58.”They’re trying to get crowds and and change the game a little bit. But the way England are playing Test cricket at the moment, I don’t think that needs to happen. We could stick to how we’re going and we’re entertaining people as we are so I’m not sure if it’s necessary really.”Just traditional Test cricket – there’s nothing wrong with it to start with. I don’t think we need to play these pink-ball games.”The ball is the main gripe, something not limited to this group of players. Especially the Kookaburra version which has been used most in the 23 day-night matches so far. Criticisms range from a loss of colour to varying degrees of hardness dependent on the batch. And, of course, little assistance off the seam or through the air. Even the greater threat to the twilight period seems to be due to batters struggling to adjust their eyes.”I think they’re all different. Every time I play with it, they’ve been different. Some have swung, some have seamed and some are harder. Some are softer. The warmup game the other day, I got hit with a 65-over-old ball and it hurt more than a brand new ball. It’s just like a rock.”I’m not a massive fan of that, no. We’ve been trying to get them to swing this last week and they’re very inconsistent and the seams a bit grippier in the surface. They’re just not a traditional cricket ball.”Robinson has a pretty good record with the pink Kookaburra. Across the three times he’s used it, all in Australia – two Tests during the recent Ashes series (Adelaide and Hobart) and against Australia A at the MCG for the Lions in February 2020 – he has taken 12 wickets at 24.41. Throw in a match with the Dukes equivalent for Sussex against Glamorgan in 2018, and his overall pink average drops to 21.06, close to an overall first-class average of 20.71.Clearly, whether he likes it or not, he has found a way to make it work for him. Therefore you would expect him to continue this week in his newly acquired opening role. It was as much something he took from Stuart Broad as the veteran quick gave to him upon Robinson’s return to the side for the second Test against South Africa last summer. Ahead of the match at Old Trafford, Broad suggested to Ben Stokes the 29-year-old’s skills warranted first dibs after overcoming general fitness concerns.The captain agreed and Robinson went on to 12 wickets at 15 in the remaining two matches of the summer, as England overturned a 1-0 deficit against South Africa.”To get that opportunity to bowl with Jimmy [James Anderson] at the other end was really special for me and my career. And Broady was really good about it as well. Every morning he’d tap me on the back, good luck, go well. Talk to me at mid-off every other ball. So the three of us have got a really good relationship about it. And it’s been going really well for the last 18 months.”A more wide-ranging part came in Pakistan as the only quick bowler to play all three back-to-back matches. Wedding the usual control with relentless spells of bumpers and even reverse swing, he finished with nine dismissals at 21.22.Starting 2023 with 60 at a ridiculous 20.01 from 14 caps so far, and more equipped for the rigours of multiple spells across multiple days, he has offered more than a glimpse of a future beyond Broad and Anderson. England’s dexterity with their bowling this tour centres around the opposition’s batting which is left-hand heavy at the top of the order with Tom Latham and Devon Conway, with Olly Stone the outlier given his extra pace.The improved durability, more of a lifestyle change than a short-term fix, is something that is on the way to becoming a standout trait for Robinson, even given the outright skill he possesses. His aim, in essence, is to prove him worth of being a constant, much like Anderson, to allow others to come in and out and do their work around him.”That’s obviously what I’m going for. Try and be economical, let the boys around me with pace sometimes go hard and I’ll try and hold the game like we did in Pakistan when Woody [Mark Wood] played. That’s probably my role and if I can play as many games as possible to help the team that’s what I’ll do.”It proved crucial in Pakistan and will be especially so this summer with six Tests across seven weeks, with the one-off match with Ireland and a condensed Ashes series. The prospect of the latter meant a number of England players have been following the start of Australia’s tour of India, which culminated in a collapse for 91 on Saturday evening in New Zealand to confirm defeat inside three days.”It’s always good to see the Aussies lose,” Robinson said with a wry smile. Even then, he appreciated the nature of the wicket and the way the game fell, believing India’s batters had the better conditions to bat: “Sometimes you win the toss, bat first but then it almost plays better second day”.Nevertheless, he was taking what cues he could on how Pat Cummins’ charges might approach the summer. All the more important as he enters his third year at this level – one he regards as the most important so far.”I think it’s probably the biggest year of my career now. It’s an exciting year and I think with the group and the environment we’ve got it’s going to be amazing. The memories that we’re going to create and hopefully the Test match wins we’re going to do. I’m really looking forward to it.”
The future of Manchester United was laid bare this week, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co outlining ambitious plans to build a brand new stadium in the next few years, as part of a total regeneration project in the Old Trafford area.
As revealed on Tuesday, the ownership regime are intent on entering a new permanent home ahead of the 2030/31 campaign, with club CEO Omar Berrada expressing his desire to still have Ruben Amorim in charge for that milestone moment.
Man Utd – new stadium
In the days of identikit stadia, INEOS – and renowned architect Norman Foster – have taken a bold approach with their futuristic design, with The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell notably quipping that it certainly “looks nothing like Old Trafford”.
Mock-up images of the 100k seater arena have brought a mixed sense of excitement and sadness, it must be said, with there now potentially just a matter of years left in a stadium that has been central to so much success and history since it opened back in 1910.
As legendary manager, Sir Alex Ferguson has stated, however, even though “Old Trafford holds so many special memories”, the Red Devils “must be brave + seize this opportunity to build a new home”.
It is a case of out with the old and in with the new, it would seem, with interest already turning to how the playing squad could look in five years’ time.
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ByStephan Georgiou Mar 11, 2025
If recent evidence is anything to go by, teenage superstar, Chido Obi, could be a central part of the side by that stage…
Man Utd's star of the future, Chido Obi
As noted above, the demolition of Old Trafford will not sit well with everyone. This is a place that has birthed so many heroes, witnessed the likes of Denis Law, Bobby Charlton and George Best. Does new always mean better?
That said, what the new stadium will afford is the chance for another crop of stars to make their mark for the Manchester side, with the hope being that young Obi will be a key figure for the club in the coming years.
Plucked from Arsenal last summer, the Danish youth international arrived with a big reputation having remarkably hit 32 goals in the U18 Premier League last term, with data analyst Ben Mattinson rightly lauding him as a “goal machine” amid his prolific form.
That goalscoring prowess has continued in United’s youth ranks, with the 17-year-old already netting 12 times in just nine U18 appearances, a record that includes seven goals from just three FA Youth Cup outings.
Unsurprisingly, the 6 foot 2 marksman has swiftly been parachuted into Amorim’s first team squad amid the woes of his compatriot, Rasmus Hojlund, with the 22-year-old currently on a run of 20 games without a goal in all competitions.
Following the briefest of cameos away to Tottenham Hotspur, Obi has since enjoyed two far more fruitful outings off the bench against both Everton and Fulham, having come particularly close to netting against the Cottagers, only to be denied by Bernd Leno.
While the former Gunners starlet has not been included in the Europa League squad for the current campaign, the remainder of the Premier League season should provide further opportunities to impress, ahead of becoming a more permanent first-team fixture next term.
FA Youth Cup top scorers – 24/25
Player
Club
Goals
Chido Obi
Man Utd
7
Mason Cotcher
Aston Villa
5
Tom Wingate
Fulham
5
Amin Nabizada
Watford
5
Shumaira Mhueka
Chelsea
4
Finlay Gorman
Man City
4
Emmerson Sutton
QPR
4
Cruz Allen
Derby
4
Matty Warhurst
Man City
4
Stats via Transfermarkt
Should his rampant goalscoring record be replicated at senior level, Obi – who will be 22 in 2030 – could represent a real bargain for the Red Devils. Hopefully, the same will also be true of another teenage sensation, Jack Fletcher.
The Man Utd teen who could shine in the new stadium
It is never easy to predict the rise of an academy talent, with promotion into the first-team never quite running smooth, even if both Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho have somewhat bucked that trend after moving from Youth Cup stars to FA Cup heroes in recent years.
As such, it is not certain that the current crop in the youth ranks will be able to force their way into Amorim’s plans, although, in the case of Fletcher, there certainly are high hopes for the 17-year-old.
Son of ex-United star, Darren, the promising midfielder was among the raft of youngsters named on the bench for the defeat of Tottenham Hotspur last month, having caught the eye ever since signing from Manchester City, alongside twin brother Tyler, back in 2023.
Much like Obi, Fletcher has dazzled in the Youth Cup, in particular, with the natural left-footer curling home in stunning fashion on his weaker side against Arsenal at the Emirates a few weeks ago, kickstarting that eventual 3-2 victory.
That eye for a goal was also memorably on show in the EFL Trophy earlier in the campaign, with the England youth international bagging a brace against Barnsley, including an outrageous long-range volley to seal the 3-2 win on the night.
Described as a “marvellous” talent by the Daily Mail’s Nathan Salt, Fletcher would certainly be a worthy inclusion in the senior side moving forward, having showcased a versatility to feature in central midfield, or in an advanced number ten berth.
Options in attack are, it must be said, desperately limited following the loss of Amad to injury, and with Marcus Rashford and Antony shipped out on loan.
Jack Fletcher
Bruno Fernandes, meanwhile, is needed in a deeper role, while Christian Eriksen – who is also more of a deep-lying playmaker – is hardly the natural fit for one of those two number ten berths.
As such, it would be no surprise to see Fletcher – who was included in the Europa League ‘A’ list ahead of Obi – handed a senior bow before the season is out.
In The Pipeline
As for the long term, meanwhile, the academy ace – who was dubbed “Cole Palmer in disguise” by teammate Gabriele Biancheri – will hopefully continue his rise at first-team level, with it set to be no surprise if he is one of the stars of the side when life in the new stadium begins in 2030.
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