Arsenal wonderkid confirms exit amid Man Utd links

Tom Weber

Updated: 30 Jul 2024 09:58 BST
3 min read

Chido Obi-Martin has confirmed his departure from Arsenal.

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The Gunners have lost one of the biggest talents in their academy. Striking phenom Obi-Martin has announced on social media that he is leaving Arsenal, with his youth contract having expired.

"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Arsenal for the past four years," the 16-year-old wrote on social media. "The experiences and growth I've achieved here have been truly unbelievable."

"A special thanks to the coaches, staff, and teammates at Hale End. The memories made will always be remembered. Thank you once again for this journey. I wish everyone continued success and all the best for the future."

Where next for Obi-Martin?

Speculation surrounding Obi-Martin's future has been rampant for almost a year now. Arsenal had been desperate to tie him down to a new deal but ultimately felt that the player was demanding too much, as revealed by FootballTransfers.

Obi-Martin is coming off a 32-goal season with the Arsenal U18s, which has naturally attracted the attention of big hitters around Europe. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have been pushing to sign the teenager for some time. We previously reported that his family is keen for him to move to the Bundesliga.

However, more recently, Man Utd forcefully entered the race for his signature, inviting him to Carrington. As previously explained here, there is a good reason why he would be attracted to the Red Devils over Arsenal, who don't have a great record of blooding in youth under Mikel Arteta.

Indeed, the Gunners are trying to put in place an 'aggressive' transfer policy to prevent future departures of their top talents. As for Obi-Martin, it is not yet clear where he will play his football next season.

Read more about: Premier League, Arsenal, Man Utd, Chidozie Obi-Martin