Manchester United prospect Chido Obi could yet be on the move before the Dutch window slams shut, with Willem II pushing to secure a season-long loan for the highly rated forward.
The Eredivisie deadline falls at 23:59 CEST on Wednesday, and The Athletic reports that Willem II have lodged a formal proposal to take the 18-year-old for the campaign. United’s own deadline day passed without late drama, but there is still scope for business going out of Old Trafford.
United spent aggressively earlier in the summer, bringing in Carlos Baleba, Andrey Santos and Youri Tielemans to reshape Michael Carrick’s squad. When deadline day arrived, though, Carrick chose stability over late gambles. No extra defender. No new striker. A section of the fanbase felt the squad looked light at both ends of the pitch.
So the spotlight has swung to loans.
Obi sits right at the centre of that discussion. Willem II see him as a front-line option, not a project. Their proposal offers what United cannot currently guarantee: a clear route to regular senior minutes in a competitive top-flight league.
In the Netherlands, the excitement is already building. Voetbal International describe Obi as a “massive talent” and believe he can make an instant impact in Tilburg. The comparison they reach for is a powerful one: Alexander Isak. The Sweden international used a prolific spell at Willem II to ignite his senior career, a benchmark that will not be lost on Obi’s camp or United’s decision-makers.
The interest has not been limited to Tilburg. Feyenoord also explored a deal earlier in the window, sensing an opportunity to land one of Europe’s more intriguing young forwards. As the clock ticks down, though, Willem II have moved into pole position.
Obi is not an unknown quantity at Old Trafford. Under former manager Ruben Amorim he made eight first-team appearances, a rapid elevation that showcased his potential but also exposed how raw he still was. The consensus inside the club was clear: the talent is there, the timing was not. He dropped back into the youth ranks to recalibrate.
He did far more than that. Across United’s Under-18 and Under-21 sides last season, the Denmark Under-21 international scored 20 goals in 37 games, a return that underlined his instinct in the box and his ability to adapt across age groups. At academy level, he has outgrown the comfort zone.
That is why a loan now feels less like a luxury and more like a necessity. United want him tested by senior defenders, by hostile away grounds, by the grind of a full season. Willem II, chasing Eredivisie relevance and armed with the memory of what Isak once did for them, believe they can be the platform.
The Premier League window may be closed. For Chido Obi, the real opening could be in Tilburg.
