Teenage striker Chido Obi-Martin made waves on social media last season by scoring goal after goal for Arsenal’s youth teams, but after turning down the chance to sign his first professional contract with the Gunners this summer, he has chosen to continue his career at Manchester United instead.
The transfer took a long time to happen as compensation had to be agreed because he is still just 16 years old and the Premier League had to ratify the move, but Obi-Martin will now take the next step of his career at Old Trafford — initially with the under-18s, before looking to make the move up to the first team.
What do we know about him? Screenshots of his exploits did the rounds last season as fans marvelled at how many times his name appeared on the scoresheet. Obi-Martin hit the headlines as he scored 10 goals on his own in an incredible 14-3 win over Liverpool’s U16s last November; then, between the start of March and the end of May, he netted 28 goals in 10 games in the U18 Premier League.
But what are United getting, and Arsenal losing, outside his prolific goal scoring? We asked two people who have seen him play: ESPN’s Tor-Kristian Karlsen, a former scout and chief executive, and also a professional coach who works with players from academy to Champions League level, who agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity because of the age of the player.
Background
Born in the suburbs of Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, to a Danish mother and Nigerian father, Obi-Martin moved to England in 2020. Though he had stood out at youth level for club side FC Copenhagen, the family’s relocation was the result of the then-13-year-old and his younger brother Chuck joining his mother for a year or two in London while she was studying to become a nurse. Those initial plans were soon altered when Arsenal offered him terms for a scholarship in 2022.
Obi-Martin’s impact in the Arsenal academy (across five age groups, we might add) has been extraordinary. He famously hit the net 10 times against Liverpool in a 14-3 win for the U16s, and he scored 32 goals in 18 games for Arsenal’s U18s last season against players typically two or three years his senior.
At the international level, Obi-Martin was nominated for UEFA’s Team of the Tournament at the U17 European Championship finals while playing for Denmark earlier in the summer. He can choose to play for the senior teams of Denmark, Nigeria or England in the future.
Signing with the Elite Project Group agency — which also represents the likes of Folarin Balogun, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka — earlier this year, Obi-Martin’s profile has risen considerably, to the point where he has a boot deal with Adidas and over 200,000 followers on Instagram. But he will not be able to sign his first professional club contract in England until his 17th birthday in November.
Style
Analysis of Obi-Martin’s game begins with the glaringly obvious: At 6-foot-2, he has a physical advantage over his peers. It’s one thing to have a physical advantage; it’s another thing to use it properly. But he has nailed it, turning his physical advantage into something dangerous for the opposition to contend with.
“There’s little doubt that he has taken full advantage of his early developed physique at academy level,” Karlsen says. “A fair chunk of his goals originate from him running on to deep passes. He beats the offside line with an excellent sense of timing; his off-the-ball movement is outstanding.”
One particular move, when he looks to make a movement off the outside of the centre-back, receiving the ball in stride and then either bursting through or baiting the defender into a challenge that he can shift past, is particularly impressive. But while he gets himself into goal-scoring positions, he has also shown an ability to convert those opportunities too.
“From a plethora of eye-catching skills, it’s the calmness of his finishing that stands out,” Karlsen says. “Unlike most of his peers, Obi-Martin is rarely in a hurry in front of goal. Rather than responding to the natural rush of blood with a premature effort, he maps out the optimal finishing opportunity he can achieve from the situation.
“At the moment of execution he also tends to avoid the urge to do something flamboyant, as he picks the right spot — often with a measured, curled finish with the outside of his boot.”
That finish from Martin Obi
Sit back and enjoy the highlights of our emphatic 8-1 win against West Ham United
— Arsenal Academy (@ArsenalAcademy) April 14, 2024
The Champions League-level coach also pinpointed Obi-Martin’s ability to finish “in rhythm,” setting up a shot with one touch, then pulling the trigger in what feels like a single smooth motion. That’s a sign of a player who is well balanced and at ease manipulating the ball; while it can also catch goalkeepers off guard as they might not be set to make a save because they are not expecting a shot to come so fast.
Obi-Martin’s energy levels and defensive work rate look good, while he is able to hold up the ball when required, so it’s easy to see him as the focal point of an attacking trio, which is how the majority of top clubs operate these days.
Both in style and precious talent, Obi-Martin has been likened to Borussia Dortmund’s Youssoufa Moukoko. The Germany international scored 127 goals in just 84 appearances at youth level for the club, leading to him being fast-tracked to the first team at age 15, breaking a host of records in the process. But in the four years since, Moukoko has sadly been unable to replicate his early form, showing just how tough it is to make the step up.
How he can improve
No one expects a 16-year-old to be the finished article, and there are certainly a couple of areas to work on in the short term.
“Not uncommonly for teenage strikers, his aerial technique can still be polished,” Karlsen says. “Although his mere height and physical presence still render him a threat from crosses and set pieces.”
The Champions League-level coach says: “It’s so easy for him right now, but it won’t always be.” Indeed, he hopes to see Obi-Martin learn to adapt his game quickly. At a higher level, he will see less of the ball, the defenders will be stronger, quicker and able to match him physically. He’ll need to gain a greater appreciation for the changing tempo and rhythm of the game.
Karlsen doubles down on that: “As he comes up against experienced, physically stronger opponents, then more sophisticated, coordinated team moves will be required; the ‘Collect the ball and outrun the defenders’ recipe is unlikely to generate the same effect.”
In quotes
“When you look at Chido, he doesn’t look like someone who hasn’t turned 16 yet. First of all, he has a physique that is really advantageous as a football player,” Denmark U17 boss Jesper Mikkelsen told Bold last year. “He is big and strong, but he is also reasonably agile. He is good at sticking to the game, but he is actually also good at challenging and dribbling himself.”
“We have something called ‘alternative sports’ every Monday where we do a different sport — it could be street or beach soccer, basketball or hockey,” Anders Lange, FC Copenhagen’s head of children’s football, told The Athletic in March. “It’s good for their coordination to do other sports and Chido was good at most of them. With him, if you look at his fine technique, it might not be the greatest, but he’s always had a good shot and been a good dribbler.”
Who else was linked?
Bayern Munich showed an interest once it became clear that Obi-Martin was not going to sign a new contract with Arsenal, while Dortmund were also keen.
What’s next?
Now that the deal it done, Obi-Martin will settle into the youth setup — after all, he won’t turn 17 until November. It’s not often players of this age make such high-profile moves, so he may need time to adjust to the status and attention it has brought.
From there, it’s about impressing and moving up the ranks. United have traditionally been a fantastic launchpad for young forwards — the likes of Wayne Rooney, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, Danny Welbeck — so he should be in good hands.
There’s also the intriguing addition of Ruud van Nistelrooy to United’s first-team coaching staff this summer. The legendary striker, who scored 150 goals for the club — as well as more than 50 for each of Real Madrid and PSV Eindhoven too — could surely teach Obi-Martin a thing or two about goal scoring. And that may help his chances of making it into the Manchester United first team in the coming years.
