It has been confirmed that Maxi Oyedele from Manchester United has moved to Altrincham on loan.
The unexpected announcement was made after the National League team announced its squad for yesterday’s match with Maidenhead United.
The 18-year-old was featured among the replacements and Altrincham FC confirmed the move in a follow-up tweet.
The club’s official Twitter page says: “Maxi Oyedele joined the squad this evening, having recently joined us on loan from Manchester United.
📄 Here’s how we line-up for tonight’s @TheVanaramaNL clash against @MUFCYorkRoad 👇 pic.twitter.com/kdpagZ0eoe
— Altrincham FC (@altrinchamfc) January 17, 2023
Altrincham lost the match 3-2, but Oyedele did not come off the bench to make his debut.
The shock loan is not the only move Altrincham has made this season: in the summer, Dermot Mee from United spent a short emergency loan at the club.
The two clubs have been closely linked this season, apart from two loans. Starting the campaign with a friendly match, Altrincham beat the United youth team 2-1, and United sometimes used Altrincham’s Jay Davidson Stadium for youth team matches.
A youth player of the Polish national team, Ojedele was limited to 19 years for his mother’s country, while he is still eligible to play for Nigeria and his father’s England, since he was born in Manchester.
The rental of the young midfielder came as a surprise to young fans not only because of the last-minute announcement, but also because of his inexperience.
Still eligible for the under-18 youth team, Oyedele has only played four times for the United under-21 team, which is a rare case, since usually players are not given a loan until at least a full season in the under-21 team.
A combative midfielder, the youngster was a key figure for United’s under-18 youth team last year, playing in all six of United’s matches as part of last season’s FA Youth Cup triumph.
An experienced midfield or box-to-box player, Oyedele’s physical nature should bode well for his tenure in the National League.
A long-legged midfielder, one of his outstanding qualities is his rapid runs through the midfield and into outer space.
Despite the fact that he did not make his debut last night, the list of Altrincham matches will be replenished, which means that he will definitely appear in action soon.
