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WHAT HAPPENED?
Manchester United have announced Amir Ibragimov has signed his first professional contract with the club just days after he turned 17.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Highly-rated midfielder Amir Ibragimov has taken a significant step forward in his career by earning a professional contract with Manchester United. He is one more of the collection of talents that Man United has had to rely on, and that will prove fundamental in this new stage of the team, as they try to contain costs and rely more on academy graduates than on high-name transfers. Ibragimov has impressed in the youth academy and trained with the first team but has only participated in non-competitive matches, such as a behind-closed-doors friendly against Burnley in January 2024.
WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER UNITED?
United are gearing up for the critical closing matches of the season in 2025. Manchester United play the Manchester derby against City on the 6th of April at Old Trafford, before visiting Lyon for the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals. Winning the Europa League is the last hope at European football next season, as they currently sit in 13th in the Premier League and only winning the Europa League would qualify them to the Champions League next season.
United is also facing pressure from some big-name players such as Bruno Fernandes who has been associated with Real Madrid in the past few weeks. The portuguese has been the standout performer for Ruben Amorim’s team with 16 goals and 16 assists in 45 matches this season.
