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Is Man United's future in the hands of three Russian brothers?

  /  autty

Not many Manchester United players can boast they've beaten Liverpool twice in one day.

But rising star Amir Ibragimov did just that back in January. Having scored the winning goal for United's under-16 team against their bitter rivals, the teenager swapped pitches and helped the under-18s win their fixture with Liverpool 3-2.

It's little wonder there is a growing buzz around Ibragimov in United's academy, with the Dagestan-born forward even invited to train with the first team by Erik ten Hag.

But Amir is just one member of a very talented sporting family. His two younger brothers - Gazir and Muhammad - are also on United's books, while his elder sibling Ibragim, 19, is an MMA fighter with a 6-0-0 professional record.

While the Neville brothers and the Da Silva twins have represented United in modern times, it really would be extraordinary if the three Ibragimovs one day ran out together at Old Trafford.

For now, most of the focus is on Amir, 15, who remarkably was playing for United's under-18 team at the age of just 14.

Born in the Russian region of Dagestan, Amir and his family moved to England when he was 11 and his performances in the Sheffield United academy quickly garnered attention from top clubs.

United won the battle for his signature and quickly realised they had quite a talent, captaining both the under-14 and under-15 sides.

Coach Raducio King, who oversaw Ibragimov's United trial, gave a summary of his playing style in an interview with the Manchester Evening News.

'His never-give-in mentality is what impresses me the most - if you need someone to sprint for you in the last seconds to clear the ball because there's a counter-attack, he'd be your kid,' he said.

'There aren't many I've seen that can run like him. I could see him playing as a No 10, like a Wayne Rooney role, driving forward, switching balls, tackling, attacking, you name it.

'We don't want Amir to lose his flair or creativity and as a technical coach of his, he's got all the tools in his toolbox to succeed.'

Ibragimov's name gained more exposure thanks to a remarkable gesture of sportsmanship during a United youth game against Tottenham at the Carrington training ground in 2022.

After he went down inside the Spurs box, the referee pointed to the penalty spot, leading to vocal appeals from the Tottenham players.

But Ibragimov had tripped himself up and, sensing the injustice, simply rolled the penalty tamely into the arms of the goalkeeper.

The match ended 2-2 and so the penalty could have proved decisive, but the youngster drew widespread praise for his respectful conduct.

In July 2022, he helped United win the prestigious Super Cup youth tournament in Northern Ireland and on the same day the club signed £85million winger Antony, Ibragimov committed with a new deal.

That will run until he turns 17 and a professional contract is possible if he continues to impress.

In April, having only just turned 15, Amir was invited to train with Ten Hag's first-team group for the first time. He recorded the landmark on his Instagram account with a snap of his Adidas boots - he already has a deal with the company.

Although eligible to play for Russia through birth, he has turned out for England's under-15 side in a St George's Park friendly against Belgium back in February.

His affection for United is clear - one Instagram post is a picture with legendary manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who is referred to simply as 'The Boss'.

His Muslim faith is also a central part of his life. Back in March, a video shared by brother Ibragim showed Amir giving a lyrical recital of a portion of Surah Al-Furqan, the 25th chapter of the Quran.

Gazik, in United's under-14 squad, and an article on his school website from last year says he plays centre-back and had a brief spell in Manchester City's academy before coming to United.

His Instagram account features a selfie with Cristiano Ronaldo, who left United last December.

It is understood Muhammad has just switched across from City to United, ensuring all three brothers will be playing in red this season.

His Instagram account features a snap with United mascot Fred the Red as well as plenty of pics of him scoring goals and lifting trophies for City's academy sides.

Elder brother Ibragimov, meanwhile, goes by the nickname 'The Mauler' and fights out of the Manchester Top Team MMA club in the lightweight division. He has won all 13 of his amateur and professional bouts.

It seems the Ibragimov family have the kind of winning mentality United need right now.