If you ever want to get a sense of the international appeal of Manchester United, regardless of whether the club is going through an up or a down period on the pitch, the story of Amir Ibragimov might be one worth thinking about. Born in the town of Buynaksk in the Russian Republic of Dagestan, he grew up in a Muslim Avar family that moved to England when he was 11-years-old. At that point, the youngster joined the youth Academy of Sheffield United, but it didn’t take long before Manchester United spotted his talents and persuaded him to swap the South Yorkshire city for the rainy skies of Greater Manchester.
Whether because of the unusual nature of his upbringing or just because he’s that talented, Ibragimov was made the captain of both the Under-14s and the Under-15s during his time progressing through the Academy ranks. He earned national attention during an Under-15s game against Tottenham Hotspur when he passed the ball back to the Spurs goalkeeper after being awarded a free-kick, feeling that he shouldn’t have been given it as he wasn’t fouled. In the January of 2023, Ibragimov appeared for both their Under-16s and the Under-18s in the same day, helping United to beat Liverpool in both of the matches.