Manchester United of England have unearthed yet another Nigerian-born youngster, as vastly creative attacking midfielder, Maximilano Oyedele has shot to prominence in the Red Devils’ junior team, megasportsarena.com reports.
Oyedele hit headlines across Queensland on Saturday, when he got his competitive debut for United’s under-18 squad, despite still being registered for the Old Trafford side’s under-16 squad, but his efforts could not save his side from suffering a 3-1 loss to less-fancied Derby County.
The youngster, who was an unused substitute two weeks ago when United hit Manchester City 4-2, was among the U16 lads that were in The Red Devils’ first 11 line-up at the youth team’s Trafford Training Centre in Carrington, while Ola Ibrahim and Osazee Aghatise started for The Rams.
While Oyedele made the best of his first squad involvement in the English U18 Premier League, Aghatise missed a chance to give Derby the lead when he headed over a cross, following which Charlie McNeill opened scoring for the home team on 36 minutes.
Mothersille equalised just before half-time, Clarke made it 2-1 on 52 minutes and Aghatise put icing on Derby’s cake with a third in the 71st minute to hand United a rare home defeat, though the hosts’ goalkeeper Guadagno saved Oyedele from scoring an own goal.
The keeper pulled off a brilliant save from Oyedele’s deflected a cross, and the buzzing lad will aim to do even better when The Red Devils return to action away to Liverpool, just as another Nigerian-born youthful midfielder, Bayo Fapetu will seek to hit the ground running with Derby.
That comes after Fapetu agreed a pre-scholarship deal with the Championship outfit, with which he was excited to personally announce that he had signed a long-term contract with The Rams, who will upgrade the pact on July 1, and he will be among the new scholars for next season.
Fapetu, who was born in London makes the move from Arsenal after ten years, having joined The Gunners in 2011, and he opted for the deal at Derby despite getting links with several clubs in the English Premier League.
Some top clubs explored the possibility of signing the 16-year-old when it became clear he was leaving Emirates Stadium, but he opted for Derby because they presented a better opportunity in terms of breaking into the first team.
Derby currently have a very youth set-up and they even represented England during the UEFA Youth League 2019/20 campaign after beating an Arsenal side containing Bukayo Saka, Xavier Amaechi and James Olayinka to win the country’s under-18 title in May 2019.
