Manchester United supporters are no doubt riding high at present – and rightly so – having snapped up Serie A's Young Player of the Year, Joshua Zirkzee, from Bologna, while also prising Lille's Leny Yoro from out of Real Madrid's clutches.
Of course, the Red Devils have been here before, with a 'successful' summer not often translating to a successful season, yet who's to say that things can't be different this time around, with manager Erik ten Hag now boosted by the support of the INEOS regime.
As was shown in the £52m deal for Yoro – which was seemingly something of an obsession for new CEO, Omar Berrada – United don't appear afraid to step on a few toes to get what they want, with that likely to be true again amid reports of another potential statement move.
Man Utd ready to raid Premier League rivals
According to The Athletic's David Ornstein, the Old Trafford outfit are "exploring a deal" for Arsenal's teenage sensation, Chido Obi-Martin, with initial talks having already been held regarding the 16-year-old's potential move to Manchester.
As per the respected insider, the Denmark youth international has seen his schoolboy terms expire in north London after turning down a contract offer from the Gunners, with a departure from the club now on the cards.
The highly-rated striker has already visited Carrington amid United's pursuit of a deal, albeit with there also likely to be significant rival interest in his services from clubs across Europe.
Why Man Utd are interested in Chido Obi-Martin
At a time when the club are still seeking a prolific number nine to bolster the first-team squad – with new man Zirkzee having netted just 12 times last season in Italy – the prospect of signing a figure for the future rather than the present may not be cause for much excitement among the United faithful.
That said, all the evidence points to the capture of Obi-Martin being something of a masterstroke, with the in-demand talent having notably hit the headlines last season after scoring ten – yes ten – times in a 14-3 win over Liverpool's U16s last season.
In total, the emerging superstar ended 2023/24 with 32 goals in just 21 outings for Arsenal's U18 side, with his towering frame at that age group making him a real "monster on the pitch", in the words of data analyst Ben Mattinson.
Tipped to "battle it out" with Rasmus Hojlund at international level in the years to come – as per Mattinson – it is clear just why there is such clamour over the teenager's signature, with INEOS needing to do all they can to get a deal over the line.
Of course, the club have only recently shown their muscle in the market by forking out for Yoro, yet there is an argument to be made that a move for Obi-Martin could represent an even more bold and exciting deal.
32 games (30 starts)
2 goals
0 assists
92% pass accuracy rate
13 clean sheets
1.1 tackles per game
1.1 interceptions per game
3.9 balls recovered per game
65% aerial duels won
63% total duels won
Like with any youngster, there must be a note of caution over getting too carried away, yet it would, no doubt, be extremely satisfying to poach the player from a direct rival in Arsenal, with such a deal likely to evoke memories of a certain Robin van Persie back in 2012 – the Dutch goal machine going on to fire United to a 20th league title with 26 Premier League goals in his debut season.
While such heroics may take time to come for Obi-Martin, his goalscoring exploits at youth level do point to future stardom, thus ensuring he could potentially make an even bigger impact than any defender – like Yoro – could at the Theatre of Dreams.
With the Red Devils arguably still waiting to find a suitable, long-term successor to Van Persie after a decade of short-term and costly centre-forward signings, where better to finally end that search than by plucking another 'superstar' from under the noses of the Gunners.
Hopefully, like 'RVP', the little boy inside of him is also "screaming for United"…
Man Utd lining up move for PL talent who'd be a "beast" next to Yoro
INEOS aren’t pulling any punches on the transfer front this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair Jul 20, 2024
