Manchester United have an academy with countless high potential young footballers, but one of the biggest talents has now reinvented his game.
The first team’s preparations for the new season are going well, but so is the academy as Manchester United’s youth ranks are showing signs of another incredible campaign.
Several friendlies from the U18s have all ended in emphatic victories, with JJ Gabriel beginning to toy with defenders, while up front Edward Ibrovic-Fletcher has shown exciting signs that he can kick on.
The positive performances have continued into the U19’s this summer, with United bringing a strong group to the Mladen Ramljak Tournament in Croatia.
This sees United fast tracking 15-year-old Kai Rooney into the U19s, playing well ahead of his years, yet matching opponents physically.
The competition started on Thursday and there was one performance that was extremely interesting.
Amir Ibragimov in Manchester United jacket.
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Amir Ibragimov had top performance against Rapid Vienna
On Thursday evening, United beat Rapid Vienna 1-0 in the Mladen Ramljak Tournament, and the sole goal came through Amir Ibragimov as he converted a penalty.
Wearing the captains armband and his shirt tucked in, Ibragimov looked like a senior player alongside kids during the game as he absolutely ran the show from central midfield.
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Alongside the ever-brilliant Jim Thwaites in a two man pivot, Ibragimov was given more license to get forward and he did often, with driving, rampaging runs through the lines with Vienna unable to stop him.
Ibragimov was absolutely everywhere for United, picking up space deep to take the ball from his defenders, before progressing with a ball or run, almost everything went through the Dagestan-born midfielder.
The goal is an afterthought, with Ibragimov’s running, passing, intelligence on where to be on the pitch and also his desire to help defensively all paint the image of an all round box to box midfielder which seems to be his new area of specialty.
Ibragimov is one of United’s most exciting talents but he should now be considered in a different way.
Amir Ibragimov is growing into an all action midfielder for Manchester United
Ibragimov has always been a more attacking player, with the wing and number 10 role his during previous campaigns for the academy. However the back end of last season saw the beginning of this change.
Darren Fletcher clearly agrees with Adam Lawrence, that Ibragimov is less of a forward and more of a midfielder, with his silky technical ability only set to benefit him.
Ibragimov looks right at home as a number eight as he doesn’t shy away from dirty work, yet offers such excellence on the ball which makes him almost a Jude Bellingham type of midfielder, at least the player he was a Borussia Dortmund.
The 17-year-old has an endless engine, with MUTV describing Ibragimov as a “nuisance” on the pitch, with opponents unable to escape him.
The dynamic running and pressing in midfield is a demand which first team boss Ruben Amorim has consistently made, and so if Ibragimov continues to build on this strong start and adds more physical traits then he is sure to catch the eye over the coming campaign.
The future is very bright for Ibragimov, although to step up, he needs to simply put on some muscle to complement his already deceptive strength on the ball.