BREAKING NEWS: The key reason Arsenal lost goal-scoring sensation Chido Obi-Martin to Manchester United.
Arsenal are feeling “disappointed” and are assessing the potential loss after teenage goal machine Chido Obi-Martin joined Manchester United.
The 16-year-old gained fame last season with his remarkable goalscoring for Arsenal’s youth teams.
Obi-Martin scored an incredible 32 goals in 18 matches for the Under-18s, including an astonishing 10 goals in a single game against Liverpool.
Arsenal believed they had laid sufficient groundwork, offering a significant financial incentive and mapping out a path to the first team to secure Obi-Martin’s future with the north London club.
Mikel Arteta personally spoke with the Denmark youth international to strengthen Arsenal’s pitch, but Obi-Martin was ultimately swayed by interest from United and Bayern Munich.
Arsenal proposed a salary of around £15,000 a week, with plans for Obi-Martin to spend most of the coming season with the Under-18s, occasionally representing the Under-21s, and naturally progressing to train with the first team.
According to the Daily Mail, Obi-Martin’s camp wanted him to move directly to the Under-21s, but the “dealbreaker” was money.
United reportedly doubled Arsenal’s wage offer, although claims that the move was solely for financial reasons have been denied.
Obi-Martin and his representatives had significant doubts about breaking into Arsenal’s first team due to the limited opportunities given to young players under Arteta.
Earlier this summer, the highly-rated Amario Cozier-Duberry left for Brighton, while Reuell Walters, who was left on the bench for a Champions League game against PSV Eindhoven, has joined Luton Town.