Arsenal have a prodigal talent on their hands in young striker Chido Obi-Martin, but there is a big risk that they could lose him this summer.
The 16-year-old has caught the eye after a remarkable record-breaking season for the Arsenal under-18 side, as he scored an astonishing 32 goals in 20 under-18 Premier League games.
This eclipsed a previous Arsenal youth record set by Folarin Balogun, and it is clear that the Denmark youth international is one of the most exciting striker prospects around.
However, his strong performances have led to interest from several top clubs around Europe, including Bayern Munich, and with the teenager yet to sign professional terms at Arsenal, there is a chance that he leaves unless the club can convince him of a future in North London.
Mikel Arteta needs to promise Chido Obi-Martin a route to his Arsenal team
Fabrizio Romano has now revealed that Arsenal have improved their proposal to the Danish striker to try and keep him at the club, but the player is concerned about a pathway to first-team action.
“Understand Arsenal have now improved their offer to Chido Obi Martin to keep him at the club. Arteta, also pushing for him to stay. No agreement yet, as pathway is key for Chido — player still exploring bids from FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and more before deciding,” he posted on X.
It is clear that the deciding factor in keeping the striking sensation will be his prospects of first-team football, rather than anything finance-related.
Arteta needs to repeat Ethan Nwaneri masterclass with Chido Obi-Martin
Arsenal also have an outstanding midfield talent coming through in Ethan Nwaneri, who is continuing to develop into one of the best prospects Hale End has seen in years.
Nwaneri was on the verge of leaving last year, but Arteta convinced him to stay at the club, and Arsenal now have him tied down for the future.
Arteta sprung a surprise when he gave Nwaneri his Premier League debut against Brentford in September 2022, which saw him become the youngest player in the history of the competition, and he also substituted him on in a 6-0 victory over West Ham last season.
This showed Nwaneri that despite the quality within the Arsenal side, there is a pathway to first-team action if he is prepared to grab the opportunity.
Eddie Nketiah and Mika Biereth have both been linked with exits, and if both attackers leave, this could open up space for Obi-Martin to potentially gain a first-team opportunity within the next year, if he stays.
