Phil Jones has showered praise on Chido Obi, describing the young striker as an “animal” and backing him to play a crucial role in Manchester United’s first team.
Obi, a highly rated 17-year-old forward who joined United from Arsenal’s academy in October, has made a sensational impact at youth level, scoring 12 goals in 12 matches.
His impressive form earned him a professional debut under Ruben Amorim on Sunday, when he featured as a late substitute in United’s 1-0 loss to Tottenham.
Jones, who retired from professional football last August but continues to work with United’s academy, has been closely following Obi’s progress and is excited about his potential.
Speaking on the Footy Accumulators No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Jones expressed his concerns about the club’s current struggles but highlighted the talent emerging from the academy.
“United are going through a really tough period, and it’s hard to see a way out,” Jones admitted. “But what I will say is that the academy has some incredible young players coming through.”
He pointed out that injuries forced United to fill their bench with young talents against Spurs, but insisted fans would soon recognize the names.
“You look at Kobbie Mainoo top player. Then there’s Chido, who we just signed from Arsenal an absolute animal. He’s only just turned 17, but he’s got a great career ahead of him if he maintains the right mentality,” Jones said.
The former United defender also praised Amad Diallo, recalling his winning goal against Liverpool last season and emphasizing his potential to play a key role moving forward.
“I trained with Amad, and you could always see his quality his ability to beat players one-on-one, his strength, his skill with the ball. He’s a great kid too,” Jones added.
With an exciting generation of young players developing at Carrington, Jones believes United could have a bright future if the club integrates these talents into the first team at the right time.