Top five youngest players to feature for Manchester United in 21st centruy

Chido Obi has become the latest addition to the list

The Red Devils are regarded as one of the most successful and revered teams in the history of club football. With a record of 20 English league titles including 13 Premier League titles and three Champions League crows to their name, Manchester United are undoubtedly one of the most iconic football clubs on the planet.

United’s history is as much about triumphs and titles as it is about the players who have donned the famous Red Devils jersey. Over the years, the club has allowed countless young talents to shine, showcasing its commitment to nurturing youth. Here we will take a look at the top five youngest players to feature for the Red Devils in the 21st century:

5. Federico Macheda – 17 Years, 7 months & 14 Days

The Italian joined United’s U-18 side and in his first season with his club, he finished as the U-18’s top scorer with a total of 12 goals in 21 matches and also made his debut for the reserves in February 2008. On 30 March 2009, he was rewarded by being selected for the first team for the match against Aston Villa, he replaced Nani just after the hour mark and made an instant impact by scoring a brilliant goal.

At the end of his first season in the United first team, Macheda was named the Jimmy Murphy Academy player of the year in recognition of his performances in the youth team. He made 19 appearances for the Red Devils and then was loaned to other clubs

4. Mason Greenwood – 17 Years, 5 Months & 3 Days

Greenwood joined United at the age of six in 2007. In July 2018, Greenwood travelled with the first team on their pre-season in the United States. On that tour, he made his non-competitive debut against Club America which ended in a 1-1 draw.

In March 2019, under the management of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Greenwood made his competitive debut as an 87th-minute substitute in a 3-1 win against PSG in the Champions League. Four days later he made his Premier League debut from the bench in a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal to become one of the club’s youngest league debutants.

3. Chido Obi – 17 Years, 2 Months & 18 Days

Obi started his youth career at Denmark’s local side KB and after that, he moved to England and joined Arsenal in 2022. He is a tall player with an excellent body mass ratio, who will surely become a superb athlete in the near future. Obi was named in a senior squad for the first time on 16 February 2025, making his senior debut as a 90th-minute substitute for Casemiro in a 1-0 league defeat at Tottenham Hotspur.

Introducing Chido Obi, the 17-year-old forward makes his debut 👋#TOTMUN pic.twitter.com/wpU0CNhz8n

— Premier League (@premierleague) February 16, 2025

2. Shola Shoretire – 17 Years & 19 Days

Shoretire’s rise through the ranks at Manchester United was nothing short of meteoric, marked by his incredible precocity and drive. At 14 years and 314 days, he became the youngest ever player to feature in the UEFA Youth League, showcasing talent against older competition.

By 16, he was starring for the U-23s, including a remarkable hat-trick in a 6-4 win over Blackburn Rovers. He stepped onto the turf as Manchester United’s senior player on 21st February 2021 against Newcastle United in the Premier League. Currently, he is playing for the Greek side PAOK.

#MUAcademy ➡️ #MUFC first team.A senior United debut for Shola Shoretire 🔴 pic.twitter.com/AEqIwYYWxH

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 21, 2021

1. Angel Gomes – 16 Years, 8 Months & 20 Days

Gomes joined United’s youth system at six and quickly made an impact, debuting for the U-18 team at 14. He captained the U -15 team to an MVP award at the 2015 Manchester United Premier Cup and became the third youngest player in club history to score a hat-trick.

The youngest players to feature for Manchester United in the 21st century:🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Angel Gomes – 16 years, 8 months & 20 days🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Shola Shoretire- 17 years & 19 days🇩🇰CHIDO OBI – 17 YEARS, 2 MONTHS & 18 DAYS🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿Mason Greenwood – 17 years, 5 months & 3 days🇮🇹Federico Macheda – 17 years,… pic.twitter.com/Ho8B4Hk19q

— Football Talent Scout – Jacek Kulig (@FTalentScout) February 17, 2025

Gomes made his first team debut in May 2017 in a win over Crystal Palace. Not because of a lack of talent, but quite simply because the contract offered by United to the young attacking midfielder did not meet his expectations. So after a few games he decided to leave United. Since then he has impressed while playing for Lille in France and also made his national team debut for England.

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