Kobbie Mainoo, Scott McTominay, and Marcus Rashford. These are just three of the most recent graduates of Manchester United’s academy who have advanced to the first squad and left their mark in some capacity. Omari Forson might be the next one now.

Forson, who was born in Hammersmith, a neighbourhood in west London, may not have left the English capital at all, or not so soon. And with good cause, too. The young Anglo-Guinean experienced his first taste of football at the training facilities of Tottenham and West Ham United, which happened to be his first club. However, at the age of 15, he made the decision to relocate to Manchester United in January 2019. Many people were not quite happy with the choice, especially Arsenal, who felt that they let the youthful talent go away.

What Omari Forson has done at Man Utd so far

The directors of Red Devils agreed to offer him a scholarship deal in 2020, making sure no club would obstruct their new player’s growth. Forson was a bright young player who quickly made an impression under Neil Ryan, the United U18s’ coach at the time, in just a few months. On August 17, 2019, he played his first league game—a 2-0 loss—against Wolves. As a starter now, Forson managed to eke out playing time throughout the season, making 12 appearances with his more experienced teammates, giving fans a preview of things to come.

Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United warming up
Even though he kept improving with the U18 squad (13 games, 5 goals, and 5 assists), the adaptable attacker’s 2020–21 campaign took a different turn in May 2021 when he earned his U23 team debut. In his debut against Derby County (a 6-2 victory), he played 77 minutes and recorded one goal and two assists. His first few minutes were impressive. A few days later, Forson was using the same teammates once more, and it appeared like he was getting close to playing football for the first squad. Additionally, United sent an offer to him for his first professional deal in the summer. Forson continued to alternate between three season appearances with the reserves and impressive results with the U18s (four goals and three assists in 16 league games) in the next campaign.

Simultaneously, he received his first Youth League minutes, when he contributed to the Red Devils’ FA Youth Cup victory and was influential twice (with one goal and one assist) in two outings. ‘Exceptional resilience’ of his player—who ultimately did not participate in every game in the competition—was noted in an article on the club’s official website. However, Forson’s achievements throughout the 2022–2023 season were unprecedented. The London-born Forson was a fixture in reserve coach Mark Dempsey’s squad, appearing in 22 Premier League 2 games and contributing to 10 of them (8 goals, 2 assists).

Omari Forson’s debut for Manchester United

More significantly, it was during his training with Erik ten Hag that he was first exposed to the professional team. The youthful Forson was called up by the Dutch coach for the preseason tour as a result of all these considerations, and he spent the summer touring Norway, Scotland, the United States, and Ireland. He also participated in five of the eight games the Red Devils played during their 2023 tour, even starting two of them against Athletic Club and Borussia Dortmund, demonstrating his faith in the player. Forson took great pleasure in his initial experiences as a professional football player and documented them as further inspiration.

You’ll be given opportunities at United, and that’s crucial, no doubt about it. But I’ll keep working hard and perhaps opportunities will present themselves,” he said to MUTV in August of last year. We can’t claim that these prospects have truly arrived, which is unfortunate for him. Despite being called up for multiple Premier League and Champions League matches, he never really had the opportunity to show his abilities. On January 8, 2024, he did, however, make his formal professional debut against Wigan in the FA Cup’s third round. It was a historic moment as he became the 249th academy player to don the storied Red Devils uniform.

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Forson is not to be surpassed on the international scene, even though he hasn’t yet cemented his place at Manchester United. The Red Devil recently won his first cap for the England U20 team, and he will play in matches in October 2023 against his counterparts from Portugal and Romania.

The playing style of Omari Forson

Forson is a left-footed player who can be used on either wing. He has made 26 appearances on the right and 15 on the left, according to Transfermarkt. Not only that, but he has also frequently served as a facilitator of plays. Erik ten Hag could find this to be an intriguing profile.

The 2023/24 statistics for Omari Forson (as of 24/01/2024)

rivalry

Looks

Objectives

Helps

Minutes

FA Cup

1.

0

0

1.

The EFL Trophy

2.

2.

0

172

The UEFA Youth League

2.

2.

1.

180

Second Premier League

4

3.

1.

293

Overall

9.

7.

2.

646

Every statistic is from Transfermarkt.

Forson’s unwavering composure and extraordinary adaptability allow him to disrupt defenders with his dribbling skills as well as to unsettle opponents with his passes and shots. With several injuries of varied degrees of severity in previous years, one of the main concerns about Forson is his ability to stay up with the competition.

Omari Forson’s future at Manchester United

Regarding Forson’s future, he has a deal with United that expires in June 2024; however, he has not yet extended his deal with the British team. However, a new contract “in recognition of his progress” is about to be extended to the 19-year-old, according to The Manchester Evening News.

There’s no denying that Forson’s profile may be of interest to several clubs, Premier League or Championship, should this possibility not come to pass. The young player will undoubtedly wait to make a decision that is as crucial to his future as it is conclusive to see how the second half of the season plays out and how his playing time grows as we wait for the outcome.