Manchester United are set to announce the signing of young striker Chido Obi-Martin, two months after his Arsenal exit.
The teenager scored for fun for Arsenal's Under-18 side, but the Gunners were unable to convince him to sign new terms with the club. United gave the youngster a private tour of their facilities, with the charm offensive reaping benefits.
Obi-Martin, who is eligible to represent England, Denmark or Nigeria at international level, scored five hat-tricks in his last nine league matches for Arsenal's Under-18s. He had previously bagged 10 in a single match for the Gunners' Under-16 as they demolished Liverpool.
He shared a farewell message for Arsenal and the club's fans at the end of July. However, it's only now that his move to United has received approval from the Premier League.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Premier League's five-step process was completed on Friday morning. Obi-Martin has already undergone a medical and agreed personal terms, and shared a photo on his Instagram stories in which he is shown shaking hands with United legend Eric Cantona.
"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Arsenal for the last four years," Obi-Martin wrote in a thank you message at the end of July. "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."
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Arsenal's production line of young talents has continued, with manager Mikel Arteta giving minutes to several teenagers in the midweek Carabao Cup victory over Brighton. 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scored twice in a 5-1 win, with Jack Porter, Josh Nichols and Miles Lewis-Skelly all earning starts while Maldini Kacurri and Ismeal Kabia made their debuts from the bench.
“There are a few players who have school in the morning!" manager Mikel Arteta said after the win. "They are buzzing. Ethan was really good. A really strong performance. He feels part of us and is playing with that confidence and belief.
“To start in the Premier League is another step. On his journey he is ahead of where we expected. He will have minutes. He deserves it. It was a big step for Jack. He was over the moon. His family were nervous. But he coped really well. What a way to break a record.
“He’s been training with us. We thought he was ready. We believe he was the right choice. It’s a very positive night. We gave the opportunity to a lot of academy players and they responded really well. To see their faces, their reaction, a great night.”
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