The teenage goal machine was in stunning form for the Gunners’ youth teams last season and is considered one of the most prolific teenagers in European football.
Arsenal was desperate to keep him and offered him a new deal, but the youngster was not impressed with their proposal, even after discussions with Mikel Arteta.
Martin has visited several top European clubs, including Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, but he seems to have decided on United.
The Red Devils have been keen on his signature and appear to have made him an offer that other suitors could not match.
This has helped them win the race for his signature, with a report on Football Insider claiming that the Red Devils are set to complete their move for him in the coming weeks.
Arsenal has now given up and accepted their fate after Martin informed them he was leaving to seek a new challenge.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Losing Obi Martin is sad, but we cannot force him to stay and wish him the best of luck. Hopefully, we will not lose another prodigious talent from our academy.
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Something is wrong with Arsenal recently, because they can no longer keep their youth team.
Yet another prospect does not want to stop. They must feel like they have no chance of breaking in at Arsenal. Its all too common.
That he is leaving for man utd and not a club like dortmund shows us what’s the most important for him: money the only thing utd can throw at players these days. Since he’s just a kid then it’s his parents or agent who’s directing traffic and we know how agent always have their client best interest at heart.
While I fully understand your point and agree with you to a significant degree especially concerning agents, we must also not forget that he has a much better chance at first team football at United than at Arsenal.
Think Garnacho and Mainoo.
Who has Arteta in his almost 5 years of managing Arsenal brought from the academy? I’ll save you the math. The answer is a grand total of ZERO. That’s why Hutchinson and others left afterall. I don’t blame the kid
He’s 16
Where are those who were 16 yrs old when Arteta arrived? Are they any closer to the first team than Obi Martin? His age changes nothing
So he will go to Utd. First team next season? There is no way of knowing how good he maybe. Why do you think that they are a better long term prospect than Arsenal?
Sorry to disagree but are Utd on the cusp of being back in the big time just yet?
I think the issue is that the players don’t think there is a path for them to the first team which is a significant breakthrough for any academy player.
The fact he brought in Garnacho and most recently Mainoo will give them more hope than Arteta who has none yet
Look up how old were some of the best players over the years when they started to play professional football. Don’t get surprised someone gave them the chance.
I’d wager that the percentage of young players instantly making an impact at 16 is tiny. I know players breakthrough early but not generally at 16.
He either believes his prospects are better at Utd or didn’t believe that he would be given the chance at Arsenal or has a giant size ego
Patino, Nwaneri…
Nwaneri might be closer. But Patino? I think not
Both of them made their debuts under Arteta.
We’re talking of maybe 1 or 2 who are first team regulars and who play regularly. There hasn’t been any so far in this administration. I fear those young players are seeing it that way, hence the willingness to walk away to clube like United and Chelsea who are currently not on our level football-wise
Well Chelsea aren’t a club to promote, as Hutchinson hardly played for them. Iirc, he made 2 appearances for them, was sent on loan to Ipswich, and then sold to them.
Man Utd are a poor team forget their history. So Ten Hag had to play some youngsters to sage his job!
Similarly Arteta couldn’t do the same as needed to get Arsenal back to competing for the title which he has done. You don’t do that with kids….as Ten Hag has proved. And he would likely have lost his job if he didn’t win the FA Cup which surprised everyone !
And not sure which Arsenal fans on here are privy ro the conversations as no one at this point knows why the kid doesn’t want to sign a contract!! He may just have agents / parents looking for a payday pr may feel Uts as the lower quality team currently offers him more opportunity.
It’s laughable for the youngster to go to such a team. Where have Man U gone with developing those 2? It’s at a price to pay also. .
Even Ten Hag himself has admitted that the team can’t catch up just yet.
Arteta has taken 9 youngsters with him to the US. They are mostly 17 and are progressing. What else?
Let’s see down the road how this helps him. There are 2 young attackers in Man U right now. Are they going to be benched for him?
Let him go so that he cannot become another van*****
He may see himself as the next Kobbie Mainoo only as a forward. I just hope Rashford doesn’t return to form this season.
You can not force issues,, the boy has chosen where he feels more comfortable
We have already lost Mika Biereth and Cozier-Duberrry. No this with Chido Obi-Martin.
This is a disappointing transfer window so far.
I do not think Unai Emery would have allowed this if he were in charge at Arsenal. Pity he was not backed properly by the owners.
That post has written Arsenal off before the start of the season IGL
For SueP
I have not written off the season.
I just have an attachment to the youth and our academy.
I want Norton-Cuffy to be backup right back. Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelley to be backup for Odegaard.
IGL, I would say that most Arsenal fans would want to see players from the youth set up come through to the senior team and succeed. The problem at the moment it would seem is that the management think that players that are in the U21’s aren’t good enough to hold down a starting position in the team. Nwaneri and Lewis -Skelley are still young and their bodies probably are still growing. We’ve seen in the past when a youngster, Wilshere, played too many games while his body was still growing, how he suffered from injuries that ended up ruining his career.
@ HD
You have a point. It is a double edged sword. Wilshere, let his leg out like a tease and the defenders reacted and sometimes caught him with reckless tackles. Fabregas (similar age) was a little smarter when he had possession.
Mainoo has been a major hit with Man Utd and arguably the best England midfielder at the Euros.
Chido could have been our Mainoo or another Fabregas albeit a different position.
Unless you take a chance you never know.
I felt Biereth transfer was a mistake. Emery gave Saka and Martinelli debuts and the rest is history.
I get what you’re saying IGL, but Mainoo is a couple of years older than both of Nwaneri and Lewis -Skelley. I do think their time will come, they just have to be patient. As for Biereth, I to wanted to see him get a chance with us, but alas it was not to be. Still we made a profit after buying him from Fulham.
Biereth is overrated by Arsenal fans. He’s 21 and not ready to be in an elite team. Completely ridiculous to be comparing him to the likes of Saka. He may come good in years to come but how long can Arsenal wait? Some of our the established players are only a few years older and have been playing top level football for years.
It’s remarkable how some fans think they know better than the coaches and managers who see these players on a regular basis.
There is more of a chance of a breakthrough with the younger players but they have to be managed carefully which the club are clearly doing.
Where have I compared Biereth to the likes of Saka 🤔🙄.
It’s remarkable how some people read things that aren’t there !
They want Chido Obi to stay. They also want us to get a top striker in Victor G. We also have Jesus, Nkethia and Kai. Guys, you can’t it your cake and have it. At our level right now we need better established players to compete with Man. City except a generational talent comes through the academy. I wish Chido the best in his pursuit and blame no one in management. Why is this so hard to grasp? Why do we always want to blame someone, something? We’ll, I blame you for your entitlement personality and for everything you’ve done wrong.
The cream will always rise to the top. Nwaneri is close to Arsenal minutes he is the top one percent I don’t think Chido will be a huge loss He would’ve trained with the first team if he had the quality All he has is finishing but against better stronger taller players we will see if that holds
Nwaneri, Myles-Skelly, Heaven, Salah, and Hein are all playing with the first team this pre-season. Nwaneri, in particular, is currently a level above Chido and has chosen to be patient for his opportunities.
Chido, on the other hand, didn’t show the same patience. I think he bought into his own hype too much. After just 26 games, if he believes he’s good enough to not wait for his chance, especially when the club is aiming for a title win and the stakes are high, I will not complain if he leaves. I wouldn’t be happy about it but won’t lose my sleep over it.
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