Manchester United are reportedly set to make Arsenal wonderkid Chido Obi Martin the latest exciting addition to the club's academy set-up after his Emirates Stadium departure. But the 16-year-old striker could be primed for a bigger role than expected this season after being convinced by the project INEOS tabled to him during negotiations.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Obi Martin has turned down bigger financial offers from Germany to accept a proposal from United after leaving Arsenal.
The Denmark and England youth international is said to have been persuaded by his pathway to first-team football at Old Trafford.
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Ruud van Nistelrooy - returning to United as a coach this summer - reportedly played a crucial role in convincing Obi Martin by outlining his development plan.
And it's claimed that United made it clear that that plan involves Erik ten Hag recognising Obi Martin as his third-choice first-team striker this season.
Rasmus Hojlund is expected to lead the line after scoring 16 goals in his maiden campaign and inheriting the No. 9 shirt left behind by Anthony Martial.
The £72million star has a new striker partner in Joshua Zirkzee, who became the first signing of the INEOS era by completing a £36.5m switch from Bologna.
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Ethan Wheatley is positioned to add further depth after the 18-year-old became the 250th academy graduate in United's history last season. He has featured heavily during pre-season.
But the report states that Obi Martin is being lined up for minutes behind the Red Devils' natural strikers, Hojlund and Zirkzee.
Standing at 6ft 2in, he is a physical wonder that has dominated at U18 level, scoring a club-record 32 goals in 18 such matches for Arsenal.
In November, he made headlines by scoring 10 goals in a single game against United's most fierce rivals, Liverpool, prompting the hype about his talent to explode.
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"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Arsenal for the past four years," Obi Martin wrote on Instagram to confirm his Arsenal exit.
"The experiences and growth I've achieved here have been truly invaluable. 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. Best Regards, Chido Obi."
The FA are reportedly pushing to secure Obi Martin's services. He represented England's U16s twice on either side of eight caps for Denmark's U16s and, most recently, 14 for the Danish U18 side.
