Fabrizio Romano explains future Man United plan that Dan Ashworth has spoke about

Fabrizio Romano has explained a future Manchester United plan that new sporting director Dan Ashworth has already spoken about.

Chido Obi Martin has decided to join Manchester United from Arsenal this summer. The highly-rated striker scored 32 goals in the Under-18s last season.

The 16-year-old was being chased by Bundesliga clubs, and the Gunners were trying to keep him. Yet, it was the potential pathway to the first-team at Old Trafford which convinced him.

Fabrizio Romano explained that Obi Martin will be considered as the third-choice striker behind Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee next season.

He will have a role in the Academy but will also be given minutes in Erik ten Hag’s first team. It is a big show of faith for such a young but talented player.

After that news broke, further reports clarified that United had reached a full agreement to sign Samuel Lusale from Crystal Palace after the 16-year-old winger rejected a scholarship offer.

This all follows on from Zirkzee (23) and Leny Yoro (18) becoming the first two signings under INEOS, who are clearly not afraid to take on the youth-focused approach that United is famous for.

“Let me say that this kind of deal is something that we’ve seen with Chido, but it’s something that INEOS, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and all the people at the club are planning to do for the present and future,” explained Romano.

“To sign top talents and get the opportunities for these kind of players – so remember that Man United will try to do these kind of things again and again in the next years.”

This is an approach that almost every United fan will love, and while these young players also need experience around them to thrive, it’s an exciting prospect that this will be a focus.

It should not really come as a surprise, though. Dan Ashworth is leading the sporting project and has spoken about the importance of providing opportunities to young players, coaches or staff.

“Of all the things I’ve learnt as a technical director, the big one is that it’s about giving young people a chance,” he said, speaking on the Training Ground Guru in December 2020.

“That might be a young coach, it might be a young player, or it might be a young physio – but you don’t actually quite know what they can do until you give them an opportunity.

“There is a temptation in the Premier League not to do that just because we can afford not to, whereas young players and young people get their chance in adversity.”

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