Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Manchester United/Manchester United via Getty Images
Noah Ajayi is among Manchester United’s very best talents right now, with rhetoric inside the club now painting a very exciting picture.
With JJ Gabriel set to depart Manchester United, attention within the academy is now being directed toward other talents who are considered among the most exciting at the club. One of these names is Noah Ajayi.
Despite still being with the U18s, Ajayi is a sensational talent, having kicked on massively in 2026, and is established as one of the finest in the academy, holding several advantages over Gabriel. But without comparing the two, Ajayi is a talent worth getting excited by.
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Manchester United stance on Noah Ajayi
Ajayi has started this season well, too, bouncing back from his injury issues over the summer emphatically with a pretty stunning goal against Newcastle for the U18s.
His return is exciting, and within the club, the view now is that he can kick on, as the Daily Mail have reported.
According to the report, Ajayi was actually strongly considered for the first-team tour of Europe this summer, only to miss out due to his injury.
But now fit, those who work with Ajayi believe he is one of the best in the academy right now, and at his current ‘trajectory’, he should be making strides into the first-team within months – maybe quicker now that Gabriel isn’t competition.
Finally, it notes that optimism around Ajayi is currently sky high. This is rightly so, as last season for the U18s, the 17-year-old was every bit as impressive as Gabriel, looking perhaps better and more ready for senior football thanks to his size, power, and athleticism.
Feasibly, Ajayi could take Gabriel’s place on the cusp of the first-team and every time he plays, there are signs that United should be fast-tracking him through the ranks. While he is absolutely ready for a step up in competition.
Ajayi close to signing professional contract with United
On the same day that Gabriel’s future at the club seemingly died a brutal death, barring a 180 from the player, which can’t be ruled out considering it has happened before, Ajayi seems close to securing his future at the club.
Reliable X account SullyTalkz has tweeted to report the latest on Ajayi’s professional contract.
Ajayi has had a lot of interest from Germany, but is now in advanced talks to tie himself down to United for the foreseeable future. This is excellent news for United.
Ajayi committing to United and proving he wants to be there is a point to Gabriel. While Shea Lacey also sent a message that seemed to be a bit of a dig at his academy teammate.
The club is one of the biggest in world football, and it should be a privilege to play for United, not a chore. So we should be prioritising young talents who want to be at the club. Ajayi and Lacey being two.