Having broken records at youth level for Arsenal, it is understandable why Manchester United fans should be “very excited” by teenage talent Chido Obi-Martin.
Scoring 32 goals in 18 Under-18 Premier League games is a spectacular feat, but being able to carry that on? That was the question for 16-year-old Obi-Martin.
But that is exactly what he is doing having already scored four goals in four games since joining the Red Devils’ academy in October.
Having had such a successful season last campaign with Arsenal, however, just how have United managed to secure the young talent’s services?
“There was a lot of speculation about his future,” Jeorge Bird, from Jeorge Bird’s Arsenal Youth blog, told BBC Sport.
“Arsenal reportedly offered him a scholarship contract and a professional deal, but I think he just decided that Manchester United is a better opportunity in terms of his development.
“The situation went on for quite a long time but now he has finally signed for United and is playing really well. It could prove to be a good decision for him in the end.”
It is not just in academy football that Obi-Martin has caught attention, but on the international stage too.
Eligible to play for Denmark, England and Nigeria, he has spent much of his time at Danish youth levels – scoring 12 goals in 19 games for the under-17s – and was nominated for Uefa’s Team of the Tournament at the U17 European Championship in the summer.
So how excited should United fans be by having the youngster among their academy players? “Very,” Bird said. “But they might have to be a little bit patient as well.
“He needs to play more for the under-21s first. If he played about 10 games at that level, then he might be ready for the first team.
“Even right now, he could do well as a substitute in cup games, but they will have to show a little bit of patience with him. Next season is more likely to be the time when he is pushing for first-team involvement, but he definitely has a lot of potential.”
With current first-team strikers not really firing, incoming boss Ruben Amorim may not have to look too far for a potential answer to that in the future.
