Former English Premier League champions Manchester United have named Nigeria-eligible defender Habeeb Ogunneye in their 25-man pre-season squad, Soccernet.ng reports.
After weeks of holiday, clubs across Europe are already preparing for pre-season. And in pre-season a lot of young academy players get the opportunity to play with the first team.
Premier League giants Manchester United just pre-season preparations last week. And as usual, they will be playing in different locations to play games. The Red Devils have games lined up against Rosenborg, Rangers, Arsenal, Real Betis, and Liverpool.
Ahead of the first fixture against Rosenborg which is slated for July 15, Manchester United announced the traveling squad on Sunday.
As expected, a few youngsters from the academy made the cut. Also, Nigerian defender Habeeb Ogunneye, who has risen through the club’s ranks in recent years was included.
The 18-year-old defender has been at Manchester United since 2021, and he has grown through the youth teams. He just got promoted to the under-21s this year, after two years with the under-18 team.
Ogunneye has a big shot at getting some playing time because Luke Shaw, who is the first-choice left-back is currently on duty for England at the European Championships.
The youngster can play at both fullback back positions, but he is more comfortable at left back. He is also quite adventurous, a tool that could be handy for coach Erik Ten Hag.
However, Ogunneye may just have to wait a while before he makes his competitive debut for Manchester United.
Ogunneye was born to Nigerian parents in England, and he currently plays for the English youth team. Still, he can switch allegiances to Nigeria because he has not played for the Three Lions.