How Ruud van Nistelrooy helped Manchester United land an in-demand transfer target

Ruud van Nistelrooy played a key role in convincing Chido Obi-Martin to choose Manchester United as his next destination, according to reports.

The 16-year-old is a phenomenal talent—a fact that has earned him a well-deserved spot among the best young prospects in England at the moment.

His immense potential reportedly attracted some big offers from Arsenal as well as some German clubs, but Chido appears to have chosen Manchester United as his next club.

Now, new reports indicate that club legend and new assistant coach Ruud van Nistelrooy was key in helping the Red Devils land this in-demand forward.

How Ruud van Nistelrooy influenced Chido Obi-Martin’s Manchester United decision

According to Fabrizio Romano, Ruud van Nistelrooy contacted Chido Obi-Martin and spoke to him in detail to make this move happen. During their conversation, the Dutchman presented a comprehensive development plan for the youngster, which includes a pathway to the Manchester United first-team.

Turns out, the club hierarchy has promised Chido a first-team role at the Old Trafford outfit. While he has primarily been signed for the club’s youth academy, he will also be considered behind Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee as the third striker for the senior team.

But this promise aside, the prospect of training under and learning from Van Nistelrooy—dubbed as one the most lethal strikers in modern football—will undoubtedly be an exciting one for Chido. Similar excitement was also reflected by Zirkzee after he officially completed his switch to Manchester.

Meanwhile, Van Nistelrooy’s addition to Erik ten Hag’s coaching staff appears to have begun on a splendid note. While helping the club land Obi-Martin is obviously a major scoop in the transfer market, the decorated striker has also been impressive on the training ground, surprising people at Manchester United with his coaching abilities.