Manchester United have confirmed that four Nigeria-eligible youngsters will remain at the club for the 2026-27 season, underlining the growing influence of Nigerian talent within the Red Devils’ academy system.
The club released its retained and released list ahead of the Premier League’s official publication, with Victor Musa, Chido Obi, Habeeb Ogunneye and Noah Ajayi all set to continue their development at Old Trafford.
Musa enjoyed a productive campaign with Manchester United’s U21 side, contributing four goals and four assists in 18 appearances across multiple competitions, including Premier League 2, the National League Cup, Premier League International Cup and EFL Trophy. The versatile forward remains one of the academy’s exciting attacking prospects as he pushes for greater involvement next season.
Another player generating significant attention is Chido Obi. The highly-rated striker delivered an impressive return of nine goals in 18 Premier League 2 matches and produced one of the standout individual performances of the season when he scored all four goals in a dominant 4-1 victory over Leicester City in February.
Although Obi featured eight times for Manchester United’s senior team during the campaign, he was unable to open his first-team goal account. However, his continued progress suggests he remains firmly in the club’s long-term plans.
Defender Habeeb Ogunneye also earned a place on the retained list following a valuable loan spell at Newport County. The right-back gained important senior experience in League Two and celebrated a personal milestone by scoring his first professional goal during the 2025-26 season.
Meanwhile, Germany youth international Noah Ajayi will continue his development at Manchester United after being retained for the second year of his scholarship programme. The talented forward enjoyed an encouraging season, scoring nine goals in 25 appearances across the U18 Premier League, FA Youth Cup, Premier League 2 and Premier League International Cup.
The decision to retain all four players highlights Manchester United’s confidence in their potential and offers further encouragement for Nigerian football fans keeping track of emerging stars abroad.
With the 2026-27 season approaching, Musa, Obi, Ogunneye and Ajayi will all be aiming to take the next step in their careers, whether through first-team opportunities, loan moves or continued progression within one of Europe’s most competitive academy system.
