Chido Obi-Martin, a key target for Manchester United, has left current club Arsenal on a free, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed.
🔴⚪️↩️ Arsenal confirm Chido Obi Martin not to sign new deal at the club and leaving as free agent.
Chido will decide his next club soon after visiting English and German clubs. ⏳ pic.com/lAnh4DuNzr
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 23, 2024
The Italian transfer guru writes on X that, “Arsenal confirm Chido Obi Martin not to sign new deal at the club and leaving as a free agent. Chido will decide his next club soon after visiting English and German clubs.”
The 16-year-old striker is one of the most highly-rated youngsters within English football and was considered a prize of the Arsenal academy.
Obi-Martin joined the Gunners at the age of 14 from Danish side Kjøbenhavns Boldklub. He has represented Denmark at U16 and U17 levels and has also played for the U16 England team on two occasions. Due to his father, Obi-Martin could also choose to play for Nigeria, but the striker has opted to represent Denmark at the international level moving forward.
Possessing an imposing 6’2 frame at only 16 years of age, Obi-Martin played for the Arsenal U21 team at 15. In November last season, Mikel Arteta even called him up to train with the senior side. In the same month, Ob-Martin made waves across social media after scoring ten goals as Arsenal U16s ran out 14-3 winners over Liverpool.
In April 2024, Obi-Martin scored seven goals in a 9-0 demolition of Norwich U18s. This brought the Danish striker’s scoring record for the U18 team to a staggering 24 goals in his last seven appearances.
There has been a consistency and ease with which Obi-Martin has adapted to each jump he’s been asked to make in youth football. While his physicality clearly gives him an advantage when playing other teenagers, the clinical nature of his finishing offers a template for success at any level of professional football.
United were first reported to be interested in the Dane last week when, as explained in greater detail by The Peoples Person here, Obi-Martin visited Carrington, the club’s training ground, to discuss a potential relocation to Manchester.
David Ornstein then provided further confirmation of the Red Devils’ interest with The Athletic reporter revealing the club was “exploring a deal” to sign the 16-year-old starlet. Earlier this week, it was reported United was “pushing to finalize” a deal to sign Obi-Martin, ahead of a host of interested clubs across England and Europe.
Romano has now given official confirmation the striker has departed Arsenal as a free agent and corroborates the interest in his services from clubs in England and Germany.
With United having begun the summer transfer window in impressive fashion, through the back-to-back signings of Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro, it’s a testament to INEOS’ strength in the market that they look set to land an equally strong addition at the academy level; from a Premier League rival no less.
There are shades of Robin van Persie to this potential deal and if it ends up working out half as well as that deal, United fans will be in a state of glee.
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