Ajayi Close to Manchester United Deal as Academy Shapes Up
Noah Ajayi spent last season in the shadows of the noise around JJ Gabriel, but he rarely played like a supporting act.
The 18-year-old forward hit nine goals across all competitions for Manchester United’s U18s, including two in the FA Youth Cup and the decisive strike in the Premier League League Cup final against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. That winner, gliding in from the left and finishing with the calm of a senior pro, fuelled early comparisons with a young Marcus Rashford – not in status, but in the way he attacks that flank with long, loping strides and sharp movement.
So when United announced nine new professional contracts recently and Ajayi’s name was missing, alarm bells rang. Bayern Munich links only cranked up the anxiety among supporters already wary of losing another highly rated teenager to the continent.
Ajayi, born in Hamburg to a Nigerian father and German mother, now looks set to stay. It is understood he is close to signing professional terms at Old Trafford, with both sides working through the final details. There is still paperwork to be done and boxes to tick, but the direction of travel is clear: United expect him in their long-term plans, not on a flight out of Manchester.
For an academy that has spent the summer under intense scrutiny, keeping Ajayi would be a significant win.
Kamason waits as loan clock ticks
Not everyone’s future is moving as smoothly.
A sizeable group of academy players still do not know where they will be playing this season, and Jaydan Kamason sits right in the middle of that uncertainty. His pre-season cameo with the first team against Rosenborg last month underlined why his situation matters: two assists in the second half, a performance full of energy and conviction, and the look of a player ready for senior football.
On pure football logic, a Championship loan screams the obvious next step. Regular minutes, a demanding league, a chance to toughen his game and return as a serious contender.
But the calendar is already biting. The new season has started, yet a loan move is still not in place. Kamason is far from alone. Several academy prospects remain in limbo, waiting for the right offer while the transfer window ticks towards its deadline.
United’s loan strategy has been questioned for some time, and this summer has not eased that criticism. Ideally, those deals would be lined up early, giving youngsters a full pre-season to settle, learn a new system and earn the manager’s trust. Instead, the EFL campaign kicked off last weekend with United still juggling options and timelines.
The Premier League has not even begun, and already the club’s planning looks disjointed.
Gabriel keeps scoring – and the decision looms
While contracts and loans dominate the boardroom, JJ Gabriel keeps doing the most persuasive thing a young forward can do: scoring goals.
United’s U21s hosted Sheffield Wednesday in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Carrington this week, and Gabriel was on the scoresheet again. The 15-year-old sparked the move himself, playing a neat one-two down the left, then shedding his marker with a sharp piece of skill before carving out a yard in the box. From that range, with that technique, he rarely wastes the chance. He didn’t this time either.
Performances like that are why few inside the club doubt his ability to step into U21 football this season. Expectations go even further: Gabriel is widely tipped to make his senior debut before the campaign is out.
But every goal, every highlight clip, only amplifies the noise around his future.
Next summer offers a potential route to Barcelona, a possibility that will not disappear quietly. United have tried to make their case on the pitch rather than in the press, laying out a clear pathway, involving him in higher age groups and stressing how much they value him.
Twelve months ago, Gabriel came close to leaving. The thought of walking away from a club he loves representing hit him hard, and he chose to stay. This time, the decision could be even bigger, with Europe’s elite watching and a teenager forced to weigh loyalty against opportunity.
Mixed fortunes at the Otten Cup
While individual futures were debated, United’s next generation were busy testing themselves on the continent.
At PSV Eindhoven’s training ground, the Otten Innovation Cup once again brought together some of the best U19 sides in the world. It is a tournament with serious pedigree: Harry Kane, Romelu Lukaku, Marc Cucurella and Anthony Gordon are among those who passed through it before becoming household names.
Darren Fletcher led a talented United U19 group featuring Yuel Helafu, Rafe McCormack, Jayden Ngwashi, Jacey Carrick and Kai Rooney. The results, though, were mixed.
United opened with a narrow 1-0 defeat to PSV, whose bench included Ruud van Nistelrooy’s son, then drew 1-1 with SE Palmeiras in their second outing. A 2-2 draw with Adelaide United followed, leaving the young Reds to settle for fifth place overall.
Fletcher had hoped for a deeper run, but the value of the trip lay elsewhere: a sharp, competitive tune-up before the new campaign, and another chance to measure United’s prospects against elite opposition.
Arsenal circle Ogunneye and Scanlon
The academy story does not end in Manchester.
On Wednesday, news broke that Arsenal are interested in signing Habeeb Ogunneye and James Scanlon, a development that surprised some who follow United’s youth ranks closely. Look a little closer, and the picture changes.
Arsenal’s U21 squad is light on numbers. Ogunneye and Scanlon would add depth and experience at that level, and there is a familiar face behind the interest. David Horseman, who spent three months working with United’s U21s, is now in charge of Arsenal’s U21 side. He knows both players, knows their strengths and clearly believes they could bolster his squad.
Ogunneye, 20, spent last season on loan at Newport County. Scanlon, 19, had a spell with Swindon Town. Both have had a taste of senior football lower down the pyramid, but not yet the sustained run that can ignite a career.
So the question hangs in the air: are they better off chasing another EFL loan to build that foundation, or does a move to Arsenal’s U21s offer the clearest route forward?
For United’s academy, these are the margins now. Keep Ajayi, convince Gabriel, place Kamason in the right environment, and decide whether to fight or cash in when another giant comes calling for players like Ogunneye and Scanlon.
The talent is there. The next few weeks will show if the strategy can keep up.
