ONE-TIME Manchester United youth Nehemiah Oriola has been earning rave reviews with Brighton’s under 21s in the season just ending.

The diminutive teenager has got well into double figures scoring for Albion’s second string and earlier in the season made his first team debut.

Oriola was a constant threat in the under 21s’ Premier League 2 play-off final win over his old club at the Amex last Saturday (16 May). Tyler Silsby’s 57^th minute goal secured the trophy for the Albion.

Oriola was only 13 when he moved from West Ham to the north west and after three years with Man Utd he switched to the Seagulls in 2023.

After selection as a non-playing sub for first team games at home to Newcastle and away to Manchester United, Oriola went on to make his debut as a late sub for Georginio Rutter when Albion beat Leeds United 3-0 at the Amex on 1 November 2025.

His Albion under 21s coach, Shannon Ruth, said at the time: “He’s a player that possesses a real threat, but he’s also a wonderful team player.

“He’s dangerous in wide areas, he’s dangerous one v one, he can create, he can score, but he’s also got some wonderful teammate traits, where he’ll defend for the team when he has to.

“That gives him a really good chance because he’s an all-rounder, high-level offensively but really reliable defensively.”

In the under 21s 4 May Premier League 2 3-0 win over West Ham, reporter Nick Szczepanik declared: “Oriola was unplayable down the left” and purred: “Oriola was looking the player most likely to open up the visitors’ defence”. 

The youngster was given his first team breakthrough at a time when Karou Mitoma and Brajan Gruda were struggling with injuries.

Head coach Fabian Hurzeler told Sussex World Oriola was an “unbelievable talent”, explaining: “That’s what we saw so far, that’s why he was in the squad, because he deserved it.

“He’s part of the first-team environment, he’s doing really well in training, he shows some really good things.

“It’s important for him to adapt to the intensity, but he seems to do it quite smoothly.

“He’s a very good left-footed player, he’s very good one-against-one, he shows good reactions when he loses the ball. We’re very pleased.”

Oriola netted a brace (one a penalty) in a 2-1 under 21s win away to Wolves on 16 February and a month later again scored twice when the side hammered Everton 5-0 in Lancing.

He was also on the scoresheet in a 2-2 draw at Newcastle on 27 February and a 2-0 win at Burnley on 16 March. Those goals led to him being shortlisted for the Premier League 2 player of the month award and The Argus interviewed him in early April 2025.

“The first team are all nice people, they bring you into the group,” he said. “I learned a lot from it and then coming back down to the 21s, it’s trying to just implement that and I feel like I’m developing and improving every day.”

The youngster enjoyed the challenge of taking on the likes of Joel Veltman and Ferdi Kadioglu, telling reporter Brian Owen: “It just feels like it’s a good full-back to go up against, professional, so it’s a good test for me.

“I like the challenge whoever I go against in training, which again helps me develop and improve.”

He added: “Going up against them, they are aggressive and they are smart because they played the game at the highest level. That just allows me to develop and say I could do this better now, or now I’m going to do this.”

Hurzeler, who appreciates the youngster’s ability to play on either wing, told Sussex World: “He’s left-footed, but he can also play on the left wing, he’s quite flexible. He’s very good in coming out of tight and narrow space and good in decision-making.

“There are a lot of things he can improve, but I think it’s very important to not focus too much on the weaknesses he has.

“It’s really important to focus on the strength a player has. To give him an understanding of what he needs to do to play for us.”

Hurzeler added: “It’s about him, I said it to him. It’s about how hard he works, it’s about how humble he stays. What does it mean for him to be in the first-team environment?

“Is it like, all right, I’m satisfied now, or is it more like extra motivation to do more, to invest more, to sacrifice more, to make the next step?

“We support and try to give advice, but it’s a decision every player has to make on their own.”

Born on 11 June 2007, Oriola was on West Ham’s books at a tender age but switched to Manchester United in August 2020.

He featured for United’s under 16s and when still only 15 played once for the under 18s as a substitute in a win over Derby County.

He joined Brighton’s academy in September 2023 and his progress was rewarded with a first professional contract in the summer of 2025.

In a January 2026 article for The Athletic, Hurzeler told reporter Andy Naylor how the ball was in the player’s court with regards the next steps.

“It can go this path or that path, the path for a great career, (or) the path where they might end as a great talent, but not (have) a great career. And this decision we can’t do for them. That’s a decision the players have to do on their own.”

Recognising that road ahead, Oriola told Brian Owen: “Mentality is a big thing, a lot of hard work. Not dwelling on the past and just having the momentum to keep going. And just trying to have that personality; if the team needs someone or if the team needs something, trying to step up.”