In the last few days, several reports have emerged suggesting that Arsenal was close to losing teenage goalscoring sensation Chido Obi-Martin.
The 16-year-old is regarded as one of the finest young talents in European football, first catching widespread attention when he scored ten goals in a single match.
Obi-Martin has continued to make significant progress within the Arsenal youth system and is expected to eventually break into their first team.
Despite opportunities to train with Arsenal’s top stars, he has yet to make an appearance at the senior level, which has attracted the attention of Bayern Munich.
Recent reports indicated that Obi-Martin was open to a move to Bavaria, creating a sense of concern among Arsenal supporters.
However, according to a report by Football Insider, Arsenal has launched a counter-offensive to secure his future by offering him a new contract.
The Gunners are now in talks to tie him down to a new deal and fend off Bayern’s interest. As part of their efforts to retain him, Arsenal is prepared to outline a clear pathway to the first team, hoping to keep him within their system.
Just Arsenal Opinion
Obi-Martin has to be patient and wait for his time, and we are one of the few clubs that can hand him a debut soon.
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Why did we wait so long to make him this offer?
Could this be some sign about or vision and planning?
That’s the problem though, how many home grown young Arsenal players has MA introduced and played?
I can see both sides of the coin – MA needs to win trophies (that’s how some fans measure his success! /) and cannot gamble with untried young players if he wants to do just that.
But, for an ambitious and, obviously talented , young player, they don’t want to hang around on a whim and a promise – especially when one of the top clubs that The Arsenal are trying to overtake, comes along, offering first team football.
That’s why, in my opinion, MA needs to ensure domestic cup runs, in order to give these players a chance to prove themselves.
In which case ,we need to do a Wenger and play all these kids in the cups maybe only have a maximum of 3 players from the 1st team squad. Then we’ll learn just how good they are and they get to find out they will need to work hard because they’re no where near ready for the first team
I agree with you, but we have to ensure we don’t get knocked out in the 3rd or 4th round of the fa cup for example.
Fielding between 3 and 6 youngsters in a cup match and 1 to 2 youngsters given 20—60 minutes in every league match will give these youth team players valuable experience without destabilizing the team too much , to the extent that it cannot cope with match situations. The experience of Barcelona, in the last few years, is a good example of this, because despite the consistent use of players promoted from the academy, the club continues to compete among the global elite of football— though , the club could be in better health than it is. But ,unarguably, reliance on these youngsters has saved it from the financial difficulties that prevent it from flexing its muscles in the transfer market. In contrast, notwithstanding the heavy investment by Arsenal over the same period, we have done no better than the Spanish club.
EO.
I’d love to know which games were played under Wenger, where only 3 of the 25 man squad played, and the rest of the starting 11 and the bench were made up of the U21’s ?
HD, it was a suggestion by leMmy that MA play just three of the twenty five man squad.
As you know, AW played many younger players in the, what now is called the Carabo Cup and also tried to facilitate bringing them on in the fa cup, if circumstances allowed it.
If it helps to keep players such as Obi – Martin, I think it’s a good suggestion, don’t you?
Ken, iirc, Wenger would play only a couple of the U21’s in the domestic cup games, the majority of the team would be made up of the players from the 25 man squad who weren’t starters in the PL games. For me, that is the way to go, as it gives match fitness to the players who haven’t been used in the PL,and an opportunity to some youngsters.
I love nothing better than seeing young players coming through the ranks and making it, but only when they’re are ready. People will say, well how do you know they are ready without them playing ? The coaches will know.
For me, Obi-Martin, at the age of 16, is too young. Let him gain experience with the U21’s first.
I doubt there was one like that. But he would, in the Carling Cup, often play as many as 6 or 7 of these youngsters and a few oldies or fringe players from the first team. Sometimes, he drafted in key pillars of the first team to shore up the weak spots in the matchday squad, either with starting roles or from the bench. It was also not uncommon to find him playing established stars who were recuperating from periods of layoff as a result of injury.
I can’t recall any competitive game, even in the Carling Cup, where he would play as many as 6 or 7 U21’s. Maybe you can refresh my memory by naming those games ?
I doubt there was one like that. But he would, in the Carling Cup, often play as many as 6 or 7 of these youngsters and a few oldies or fringe players from the first team. Sometimes, he drafted in key pillars of the first team to shore up the weak spots in the matchday squad, either with starting roles or from the bench. It was also not uncommon to find him playing established stars who were recuperating from periods of layoff as a result of injury.
In the end, you’ll be one of the fans to bash Arteta and claim Man U had a better season than Arsenal.
I believe Arteta need a major trophy to relax in Arsenal, I can see him giving the youth a chance when he finally wins something reasonable. I’m glad we are doing everything possible to keep the young lad though, cause I see something special in him.
Essentially any club in Europe could offer whatever they want and they get a whole year and that club doesn’t have to do more than promise anything , they don’t necessarily have to deliver , they could nick any player they want for nothing. And any English club can’t stand in their way . Brilliant ! What genius thought that would be a good idea?
Any club that takes an Academy player from another club has to pay compensation, be it another English club, or a foreign club.
Just doesn’t make sense to let him leave. We have to offer him good terms to keep him.
Nwaneri, Duberry, Skelly and Sagoe deserve first team minutes for their development
With Bayern and Dortmund making moves it shows the kid has high potential Seems tall and physically well-built and he’s not yet done growing He looks athletic and those are the preferred type of footballers esp in the prem We should do all to keep him because he also looks to know where the goal is . There is a shortage of top strikers on the market so I’m sure he’ll get his chance under Mikel so long as he strives to improve
This our Arsenal are very poor in managing player’s contract, though of late there has been some improvement. How do you allow player’s contract get to the point where you will be held to ransom. Secondly they devalue the players they don’t need by not even giving them playing time and making it known openly that they are of no value to the club, thereby getting peanuts for their players. How many players has arsenal sold up to or above 50m pounds. None. How many academy players has Arteta ever introduce into main team? None except Nwaneri, all the big clubs in has one or two more players within 16 -18 years making waves. Bayern, Liverpool, United, City, Dortmund, Barcelona and so many has under 20 making waves. Yet arsenal will leave theirs and start pushing other clubs starlet’s for multi million pounds. The only way you can keep a talented youth in your team is to encourage him by giving him playing time in the main team and better package. Also don’t always allow their contract run out before negotiations.
@Eugene,
You are totally wrong. The lad is only SIXTEEN years old and Arsenal are not ALLOWED to give contracts to kids at that age!
Unfortunately, the author of the piece does not make things clear. Unless you have an understanding of how things work for younger players is it easy to make all sorts of conclusions about what “contract” is being referred to.
But are they not allowed to play them in the Premier League?
Even on a scholarship they can play in the PL, as was the case with Nwaneri aged 15, and Wilshire aged 16.
Yes of course, but not as a regular backup for a first team player!
These youngsters to be put in long term contracts when there are 18