The 16-year-old is one of the most promising youngsters in English football, continuing to score relentlessly for Arsenal’s youth team.
Having already broken the records of Folarin Balogun, he is a player Arsenal may be able to rely on in the future.
However, the Gunners have struggled to secure him on a new deal amid interest from German clubs and Manchester United.
The teenager is now contemplating his future, with rumours claiming United has offered him the best contract so far.
He is considering all offers on the table, including Arsenal’s, but Gooners are worried that he may leave.
Football Insider reveals that Arsenal has not given up and believes they have offered him a good deal that could convince him to stay.
Their offer of a professional contract will kick in when he turns 17 later in the year, and Arsenal thinks it is one of the best deals he can get anywhere.
Obi-Martin now has to decide whether he wants to stay with Arsenal or leave, with a decision expected in the coming days.
Just Arsenal Opinion
We recognise that Obi-Martin is a generational talent and have offered him a deal that reflects how much we value him.
However, he still has to decide where he wants to play this season and hopefully, he will sign a new deal with us.
No player in the world can be guaranteed.playing time when they’re only 16
A lot of youngsters Agents need ro focus on the players footballing needs rather than their own financial greed !
I am sure if he has the same goal scoring prowess then Arteta will get him in the League Cup swards at least
Though we don’t know whether he will kick on…Balogun was deemed the next big thing and hasn’t done much .
Would certainly love him to stay home. We’ll be happy to have him around the family for sure.
But if it takes a bit more effort for us to keep him than is really reasonable, rather let him go where he thinks he’s happy to belong.
i would rather the youth system focus on young players who want to play for the club, he has already switched his allegiance twice from denmark youth to england youth then back to denmark. now he is treating Arsenal the same, first its arsenal, then Bayern Munich now manchester united. let him go , let united develop him only for him to leave to go elsewhere once he makes a big enough name for himself,
According to Romano Arsenal did all they could to keep him, financial and footballing project wise. But If his heart and head is somewhere else rather let him leave, I know it’s really difficult.
Our academy is just bleeding talent, am really hurting 😢
I think arsenal have done their part,by conviencieing him to stay but if he has made up his mind to leave,let him be even though it his hard but one thing for sure no player is bigger than the club.
It’d be good to know if there is a problem with the academy itself or if it’s our long held perception that players can’t see a route to the first team under Arteta.
It was interesting to read that Pepe was promised a role in the team but was then left on the bench. Maybe players are just wising up to these empty promises.
I’m not sure about Martin. He’s going to be really tall and I suspect he may not mature into a top striker.
There’s a difference with Pepe though – he cost £72m and remains the biggest financial disaster in Arsenal’s transfer history. The whole Pepe transfer – the money paid for a relative nobody – and what happened afterwards is a scandal in my opinion.
This kid is just that, a kid, but I hope Arsenal has done everything possible to keep him because Utd apparently think he’s something special.
It’s down to him in the end as others have said but Arsenal should have tried everything (within reason) to retain his services as he looks to be a decent prospect. After all, Utd with their new businesslike approach under Ratcliffe wouldn’t be as interested as they appear to be if he wasn’t.
Guyís, don’t act so surprised.
This is Arteta’s football philosophy, and the vast majority is celebrating it, because he turns the owner’s money into points. No silverware to show for so far, but he always preferred to splash the cash rather than rotate the squad to develop fringe players or promote and involve academy lads.
Apart from sidelining Nelson, Smith-Rowe and Nketiah, Arteta managed to grant 79 competitive minutes to Patino, who is/was regarded a generational talent and the best young player in the academy a couple of years ago. Now it is Nwaneri who is considered to be the top of the bunch, and he got 14 minutes. These – along with Karl Hein’s 90 minutes and Sagoe Jr’s 68 in 2 (different) League Cup games – are the TOTAL opportunities Arteta provided the academy in 4 years. That used to be Arsene’s gift to the youngsters in the first half…
Let’s not kid ourselves that the boys are disloyal. If Obi values his career then his head should be somewhere else otherwise he will end up like Azeez or Taylor-Hart. Unfortunately the footsteps of Musah, Greenwood, Hutchinson – as well as Walters, Sousa and ACD – should be followed, because the “if he has the same goal scoring prowess, then Arteta will surely get him in the League Cup” reasoning is merely wishful thinking backed with no evidence whatsoever.
The nonsense. Most of you want Arsenal to compete right the top but also think that any 16 year old or 20 year old academy players that is heavily hyped should be included.
How the fck are you going catch up to City / Madrid etc by indulging yourself in appeasing fans that want inexperienced academy players to be given a chance while also demanding Titles and CL?
Right now is not the moment for sentiment about academy players, if they are good enough they the manager and youth coaches will tell the manager. Right now I want us back winning titles and competing for the CL the after we have won then we can engage in our academy player la la land. Lets concentrate on winnning trophies then the kids can start getting integrated. Right now we need mature ready players to push us to a title or a CL.
Goonster, bang on the money fella 👏👍
Thumbs up Goonster,
I’d suggest you lot go check how long Phil foden had to wait on the sides, this despite the fact that the entire nation was raving about him being the next big thing in his age category.
He had to watch Sancho leave for Dortmund and get the precious playing time, foden didn’t throw tantrums or jump ship, he trusted pep’s program to bring him in gently.
The rest they say is history.
Plus as Goonster said I wonder how U lot expect us to compete with mancity while at the same time deal with rubbing the over bloated ego of some sixteen and seventeen year olds.
Goonster
I was listening this morning to one of GB’s top sprinters who was in the Chelsea academy before switching to athletics. They were all told that maybe just 1% of them would get a chance at Chelsea and needed to understand the pitfalls and disappointments that 99% would face.
It’s not just Arsenal.
I hear about the trophies part, but I feel Arsenal(Arteta) should be doing more to integrate these academy players. I think we gonna lose more if it continues like this. Trophies can’t come at all costs, the academy represents a lot of things for a club.
Arteta 5 years into the job has done little to give these academy players a chance, he needs to take risks with these academy players, he needs to put in some little faith.
I grew up supporting Arsenal and I’ve always known that making our own stars, is one of our values, culture and that seems to be diminishing.
This is highly debatable. The length of time Arteta has been at the club is irrelevant unless there is evidence that top class footballers coming through the academy are being consistently overlooked. Every year there are players being let go because there is little evidence that they can make the step up to elite level. Fans cannot be expecting Arteta to produce a title challenging team, particularly one that has required so much rebuilding, but then at the same time require him to take chances on every talented player that comes through the academy. Truly generational players will deserve a different consideration; but how many of those have been identified at the academy in recent years?
@David there’s a lot of coaches/teams challenging for titles while giving academy players a chance, Man City has Bob, Lewis. And there’s a lot teams rebuilding while giving their academy players a chance example Barcelona is doing it. Stop defending Arteta money won’t fix everything, all we’re asking for is a fair chance for the academy players. Example there’s a young striker we just sold, he did really well on loan and he was never even assessed during the pre-season.
Mika Biereth
Well said Onyango, once again the defensive barriers come down around MA – it really is curious why it happens with such regularity from certain people.
I think that it is not a case of defending Arteta for spending money, Oyama.
You mentioned two teams that have had enormous success – both can pick and choose. In City’s case, they have had continuing success and can with a fair degree of confidence expect younger academy players to be wrapped up in a truly quality squad. Do we have any Cole Palmer’s lurking in our academy with that talent? Pep was happy to let him go without turning a hair. Barcelona, were in the same position but then found themselves having a totally different financial situation to deal with. They do though still have considerable cache to attract the best.
My guess is that Arteta believed he was in a very good position to win the league last season. Imagine the scenario if we had thrown on the academy players to finish off against a woeful West Ham side, for WH to get back into the game and for Arsenal to have lost on GD.
I fully agree that academy players need to have a chance and Arteta has been weak/ lacking in confidence in allowing them to have meaningful minutes rather than 2 minutes at the end. No use to anybody. With a fair wind, I hope he will improve that aspect of his leadership
So is MA at fault then SueP?
When we were 6-0 up against WHU or thrashing Sheffield United, wasn’t that the time to blood our younger players?
I think Gworn hits the nail on the head to be honest.
Of course your point about not losing any game by introducing inexperienced youngsters is also spot on, but in the WHU game, at 6-0 up, did you think that they would even score, let alone get back into the game?
Ken, pretty sure Nwaneri came on against WHU as a sub. As for the game against Sheffield United, none of the youngsters were on the bench.
Well, that answers my question then HD – thanks and how are you progressing health wise!
I start my new treatment on Wednesday Ken. It’s called Bisphosphonate therapy. It’s to fill the holes in the bones so that blood, which carries cancer, can’t get into the bones. This morning I had to go to the hospital ward to have a blood test. I then got a phone call telling me there was a problem with my blood, and I needed to go and have another blood test. It panicked me a bit, but then I found out the reason, and it was because the person who took the blood used the wrong coloured bottle top 🙄. Hope all’s well with you.
HD, here’s hoping everything works out well for you
If it does, will you then be able to attend games again?
I’m fine thanks.
Thanks Ken. Not sure if the new treatment will help me walk without my wheeled frame. If I still have to use the frame then I very much doubt I’ll be able to go to the game again, as I think it will be a lot of hassle on the train, the tube and getting to the ground.
Ken1945
we had this conversation before the end of the season when I suggested that goal difference could have a positive outcome for our season. In the end we fell short, but it was a close run thing.
WHU were dreadful that night, so there is no good reason to suggest that bringing on an academy player for 20 plus minutes would be a bad idea. I did add to my comments that I felt that it is a weakness or lack of confidence that has been displayed by Arteta and Gworm has hit the nail on the head.
👍SueP.
There are ways to integrate kids without losing the winning mentality. Last fifteen minutes when we’re 5-0 up, league cup against Woking. Last season MA was bringing in Cedric and Elneney for those times. Are you saying a good 19 year old can’t fill those roles?
For those who think that MA hasn’t integrated our young players, here’s a star that I came across the other day :
Since he became coach / manager he’s introduced SEVEN players from the academy /youth team setup into first team action.
Balogun – Patino – Cottrell – Azeez – Nwaneri – Hein – Charles Sagoe Junior.
Taking on board the point that 99% fail, that’s not a bad stat in my opinion.
Of course, Goonster’s point about winning trophies with proven experience is the first hurdle MA has to overcome.
When we also take on board the likes of Saka, ESR, Willock, Nketiah, Nelson (I’m sure I’ve missed some others!!) our club hasn’t done to badly… just ask Charlie George, Tony Adams and Ray Parlour!!!
Ken1945, you need context to evaluate Arteta’s performance regarding the academy.
Let’s put Balogun (32-times youth international) aside, as Mikel was forced to play him – Auba was abroad and Laca had the Covid – and he was brought up by Emery anyway.
So let’s see how much the rest of the list play
– Patino (22 youth international games): 79 minutes
– Azeez (30 youth caps): 7 minutes
– Cottrell (4 youth caps): 13 games
– Nwaneri (34 youth caps): 14 minutes
– Hein (19 youth and 30 senior caps): 90 minutes
– Sagoe Jr. (no caps): 68 minutes
So the total minutes Arteta gave the youngsters (apart from Balogun) is 281. In 5 years! That is the equivalent of Wenger’s, Emery’s and Ljungberg’s academy minutes in a single game.
Freddie gave more minutes to Hale End players in his short stint than Arteta in his 5 years!
And the list you added (Saka, ESR, Willock, Nketiah, Nelson) + Iwobi or Bellerin are ALL pre-Arteta players. Meaning that he promoted NO players whatsoever (the jury is still out on Nwaneri).
We do have the talents: Patino, Sousa, Walters, Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri, ACD, BNC, Obi Martin. They just don’t get the chance. So they either sacrifice their career, or go elsewhere to continue their development through competitive senior football, just like Hutchinson did.
Your “evaluation” is based on the opportunities for Academy players. What about the club’s challenge for major honours? Do those Academy players have what it takes to compete with the best in the world?
We heard so much about Patino but he couldn’t consistently get into a mediocre side; Azeez has ended up at a club most Arsenal fans have probably never heard of.
The most high profile to date of the players you have listed is Hutchinson and he’s at Ipswich. Good player, yes, but the jury is out on whether he has what it takes to compete with the very best.
As for Arteta being “forced” to play Balogun; that happens at most top level clubs If you have significant absences from your main squad for any reason the younger players may get chances. If they seize the opportunity they can get an extended run.
How the club manage the career paths of the Academy players needs addressing. This requires a much more insightful discussion than simply putting the onus on Arteta to field players who are of doubtful readiness for elite level football.
Spot on David. People go on about Patino, but if bothered to check up they would see that in both of his loans, to Blackpool and Swansea, he started off well but faded in the second half of the season. As for Hutchinson, he only made one or two appearances for Chelsea before being loaned out.
That reply was for PBarany.
David, the onus should be on Mertesaker and Wilshere to produce the players, otherwise what are they actually doing?
I didn’t pass any comments with regards to those players I listed with regards to their playing time, reasons why they were selected, quality or long term possibilities.
All I wanted to do, was balance the argument that MA hadn’t used any young academy players.
In fact, he chose to field a player who hadn’t played one minute of senior football in his only fa cup final to date, at the expense of a world cup winner – How’s that for backing up your beliefs?
I didn’t say that Saka etc were his players either – that’s why those names appeared in a different paragraph.
As I also said, the only player I can think of who has gone on and further their career is Gnarby from our talented young players. Perhaps the step up in class, is not as easy as it seems and Patino is a classic example.
You should tell it to those morons:
– Stupid Ten Hag shouldn’t have promoted Mainoo. At least if they wanted to win titles. Well, maybe the League Cup and FA Cup doesn’t count. Mainoo was Sousa’s Walters’ and ACD’s U19 teammate a year ago, he wasn’t any better than our trio, a complete waste of time by United.
– Eddie Howe, what a dumb thing it was to give opportunities to Lewis Miley at 16 instead of buying a big money central midfielder as the genius fans demanded?
– The sole reason Liverpool didn’t win jach $hit is Klopp turning to Ben Doak, Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott and Conor Bradley. What an amateur! They might worth 72M combined now, but he could have signed 4 players of 200M value instead, would he possess your wisdom.
@Ken you say he’s introduced 7 players to the first team, Balogun – Patino – Cottrell – Azeez – Nwaneri – Hein – Charles Sagoe Junior. Please tell me which one has he played between those 7 ?
Saka, ESR, Willock, Nketiah, Nelson he found them there.
We’re just giving away all these young players for free, they’re all leaving because there’s zero chances given to them. It’s just not sustainable
All of them Onyango.
You’ll have to ask him why he didn’t think they were good enough though.
I know he found them when he arrived, that’s why I named them separately.
Of the five you’ve named (Saka, Nketiah etc) we haven’t given any of them away.
Nketiah and Nelson probably £30 million each – ESR has had a reported £30 million offer for him turned down – Willock was sold for a reported £30 million (?) and Saka is worth somewhere in the region of £150 million… what’s not sustainable there?
I can only think of Gnarby who has gone on and REALLY made a name for himself – I’m sure you’ll remind me of others who I’ve forgotten.
Am asking the 7 he promoted, which ones has he given them proper chances? Not 13 minutes or 7 minutes.
Saka, ESR, Willock, Nketiah, Nelson he found them there and you can’t be giving him credit
What am referring to as not sustainable is highly regarded youngsters leaving for almost nothing because they’re not given proper chances in the 1st team. The likes of Walters, Cozier-Dubery, Obi-Martin, Onkonkwo etc. The list is long, all highly rated
Maybe if we hadnt to compete with thivies who destroy football (city,united,chelsea,newcastle,real,paris etc) we could use more kids to the squad
My intention was to show that MA has introduced young players.
I didn’t say under what circumstances, whether they were a success, how many minutes they played, just that seven players had experienced first team football.
I then mentioned the likes of Saka etc to show that we have had successful young players who made the grade (remember SueP’s 99%?)and went right back to Charlie George as testimony of the club’s history.
I also backed up Goonsters post that said we need success with our older players.
How many of us, myself included, didn’t realise seven players had tasted first team football under MA?
That’s the point I’m making!!
Well I hear you Ken and thanks for the clarification. But also the point I was trying to make is giving them minutes (game time). Promoting youngsters and keeping them in the bench doesn’t help.
Arteta needs to improve in this regard, Arsenal academy has always been regarded as one of the best in the world. Now all of a sudden Arteta becomes a coach and Arsenal no longer produce top quality young players in 5 years 🙄. What went wrong, what changed? You can’t expect the academy to function properly without the 1st team, it’s synergy I don’t think one can work properly without the other in the long term. Arteta knows better
I’m not disagreeing with your points at all Onyango – I just thought it was right to point out that MA has played those seven players.
We must also bear in mind, that he’s influenced by the reports from Per Mertesaker and Jack, while I, once again, suggest that Goonster makes perfect sense in his post above.
Well noted Ken
No need of saling OBI, take a look, Arsenal is looking for a striker and OBI is there.100% scalling 10 goals in one match. Keep him pls, he is the helper for tomorrow.
I don’t think Arsenal is doing enough to keep their youth players.
To summarize this discussion, I think Arsenal fans need to sort out what they really want.
1. To be a club that invests in the youth development and turn into the Ajax of the Premier league. Or,
2. To compete with Pep and Man City for the Title.
Seriously, there is just one or other in this case folks. Pick One.
I would go for the second, then think of the first.
There is a lack of realistic expectations. People seem to assume that we can heavily invest in and promote players from the Academy whilst at the same time remain competitive with the best teams.
👍
It’s far easier spending money to address positions than coaching up current players or coaching up young talent.
Would the team have suffered if Patino and Walters replaced Elneny and Cedric?
We don’t make stars anymore, we buy them.