Manchester United’s promising talent, Chido Obi Martin, has drawn comparisons to club icon Wayne Rooney, as noted by former Premier League champion Chris Sutton.
Sutton described the 17-year-old as a “menace,” expressing admiration for the Danish player’s abilities. Since joining the academy last year, the former Arsenal youth prospect has been making significant strides.
Chido Obi has also appeared in two Premier League matches, participating in the team’s 1-0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur and their 2-2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park. Nevertheless, it was his performance during the Red Devils’ FA Cup elimination against Fulham earlier this month that particularly impressed Sutton.
Writing in his column for MailOnline, Sutton claimed that while there is a raw edge to the starlet, he has been impressed by how “extremely physical” he looks on the ball. “Injuries arrive and you get the chance alongside players you had been watching on the television like Obi is experiencing now,” Sutton said. “Then you’re going up against them and thinking “blimey, I can cope” and you get confidence from that.
“I think about Wayne Rooney’s first game for Everton against Arsenal when he came on and the one noticeable thing was how strong and robust and powerful he was. It was eye-opening. “Obi isn’t Rooney right now, of course, but you have to cope and opposing defenders often look at young players coming in thinking they can physically dominate them.
“But Obi showed me enough of a menace in his cameos, particularly against Fulham, for people to sit up and take notice. If defenders come up against him now they certainly won’t take him for granted.”
While Sutton expressed his excitement, he did offer a word of warning to United fans not to get too carried away with the young prospect, adding: “The one thing for me at 17 was that I was still developing physically but anyone who can muscle [Fulham centre-back] Calvin Bassey off the ball as he did, you take your hat off too.
“Physically he does look like he is there and then he also looks explosive. He looks fearless to me. That’s what you get from young players because he hasn’t been part of this struggling team.
“I think Manchester United fans are looking for someone or something to cling on to right now and while we need to not go over the top given he is finding his feet, he is incredibly exciting as a prospect.”
Obi Martin transitioned from Arsenal to Manchester United in October 2024, following an impressive tenure at Arsenal’s academy characterized by numerous exceptional performances. He perceived that Manchester United presented a superior opportunity for first-team play, leading him to decline an offer from the north London club in favor of a new beginning in Manchester. At present, he has recorded 37 goals and four assists in 26 U-18 Premier League matches for United.