Amir Ibragimov is one of the finest Manchester United academy talents at Carrington; however, his 2025/26 campaign has been derailed by injury.
For the longest time, Amir Ibragimov has been an academy talent that Manchester United fans have been convinced will make it at the club.
Ibragimov even set a first-team debut target for 2025, but in the past two seasons, he has seen injuries creep into his game, while the club moulds him into a new type of talent.
From an exciting attacker, Ibragimov is being turned into an all-action midfielder, with great success so far. But he has been out injured for the entirety of 2026, with his return getting closer.
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Godwill Kukonki of Manchester United during the FA Youth Cup fourth round match between Manchester United and Derby County at Old Trafford on January 23, 2026
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Amir Ibragimov celebrates by pointing to the sky for Manchester United.
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Amir Ibragimov is working towards his Manchester United return
Ibragimov will be desperate to return before this season draws to a close, with his recovery from a broken foot taking months off his career already.
He has been working toward his return for weeks, with messages from the player indicating he isn’t far away. But now, according to the Daily Mail, there is still some time to go.
The report claims that Ibragimov is closing in on his comeback for United, returning to individual training on the grass at Carrington, which usually comes a couple of weeks before a player is match-ready.
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Ibragimov has also been working with United’s sports science staff in order to build up a tolerance in his foot, which likely explains the longer-than-expected recovery time.
The idea would be longer time to recover properly will see Ibragimov able to return for good and be stronger from the rehabilitation done.
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Gabriel Kukonki Thwaites Kamason
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Amir Ibragimov should get a pre-season opportunity for United
Once he returns from injury, there could be no stopping Ibragimov from stepping up the levels and getting his chance to impress during pre-season.
Ibragimov is a brilliant talent, and United’s midfield could be seriously weakened by the World Cup and departures, with arrivals likely to be after the tournament.
So in this case, Michael Carrick or whoever Ineos decides to appoint, should be keen to get Ibragimov involved and see what he has right now, whether he can play a role next season.
Talent-wise, there is no doubt over Ibragimov as he is among the best at the club, considered up there along with Shea Lacey and JJ Gabriel. But physically, he might not be ready for the Premier League.
Ibragimov should get pre-season to show his quality before then getting a well-placed loan move for next season to help him catch up on missed time in terms of development on the pitch.
At 18, it’s time for the youngster to start getting these opportunities.
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