Man Utd set to sign record-breaking Arsenal striker as Arteta’s plans go up in smoke

Mikel Arteta’s plans to integrate an uber-talented young striker into the Arsenal first-team set-up next season have imploded amid strong reports that suggested the playey is now on the cusp of a shock transfer to Manchester United.

Arteta has a great record of promoting the club’s top young talents and giving them a first-team chance with the Gunners currently boasting one of the Premier League’s youngest squads with their core made up of players who are 25 and under. To help build for their future and to ensure in future years Arteta does not always have to turn to the transfer market, Arsenal have one of the best academies in all of Europe, who are put through their paces at their training complex, best known as London Colney.

And the one player Arsenal are most excited about is prolific wonderkid Chido Obi-Martin, who at just 16 years of age, is already been tipped as a future first-team star and even drawing comparisons with the iconic Thierry Henry.

IN DEPTH ➡️ The key contract details of every Arsenal first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…

The Danish forward already stands at 6ft 2in despite his tender years and has proved hugely prolific in the Gunners’ development squads. Indeed, he shot to fame last season during an incredible goalscoring spree that saw him score 10 times in a single game against Liverpool as their Under-16s side recorded a 14-3 win.

That earned Obi-Martin a promotion to their Under-18s squad and he duly responded by blasting his way to 32 goals in just 20 league games.

Having already appeared for their Under-21s side, while still only 15, Obi-Martin has already been earmarked by Arteta and academy manager, Per Mertesacker, as a first-team star in the making.

Man Utd transfers: Arteta left devastated as striker prepares to quit Arsenal

Indeed, it had been widely expected that Obi-Martin would be fast-tracked into their first-team set-up during the 2024/25 season, with Arteta of the belief that the player is ready to make his mark in senior football, but planning to carefully manage his integration into his plans.

Indeed, Arteta has adopted a similar approach for another headline-making young Gunners star in Ethan Nwaneri, who is the club’s youngest-ever player and the Premier League’s youngest-ever debutant after  coming off the bench in a game against Brentford when aged just 15 in September 2022.

However, with English FA rules meaning players are not eligible to sign professional terms until they turn 17, Arsenal have always been in danger of losing their star youngster, despite making it clear they intend to tie him down to a lucrative deal as soon as they can.

And while linked with moves to both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the past, it has now emerged that Manchester United have held transfer talks with the player over a move to Old Trafford.

Per The Athletic, the Gunners have made ‘what they felt was a fair offer’ to the forward, though he’s now decided his future lays elsewhere and having made it clear he intends to move on this summer.

DON’T MISS ➡️ Arsenal rocked as Real Madrid move for key target and Gunners star warms to exit

Manchester City had been touted as the club most likely to land Obi-Martin, but it has now emerged that it is United who are in talks and that a deal is soon expected to be agreed for the teenager to sign pro forms at United upon his 17th birthday on November 29.

Per the report, he has been at their Carrington training complex over the last week for a look around and for talks over a deal.

United will need to pay compensation to the Gunners for his signing, but that is expected to only be small fry compared to what they feel the teenager will one day be worth.

Interestingly, that is not the only battle shaping up for Obi-Martin with the striker eligible to play international football for both England and Denmark. Both Associations are well aware of his abilities, with Obi-Martin scoring 10 goals in 14 caps for the Danish U17s and last month being named in the Team of the Tournament for the European U17 Championships.

But the teenager has also represented England’s U16s side too, previously winning two caps, while he is also eligible for Nigeria too.