In a window where Manchester United spent close to £150 million, it’s not common for a 16-year-old to gather many headlines but then again, Chido Obi-Martin is not a common 16-year-old.
Chido Obi-Martin’s move to Manchester United was the biggest proof of Ineos’ recruitment strategy paying dividends alongside Leny Yoro.
Yoro’s move showed United’s ambition to beat the best for the best, while Obi-Martin was a statement move that sent shockwaves across English youth circles.
Obi-Martin’s goalscoring record is borderline freakish at the U18s level and recently, fans went crazy after seeing Obi-Martin train at Carrington.
That is clearly a move with an eye on the future but considering the player’s talent, he might be a contributor in the present too. United in Focus spoke to TBR Football’s insider Graeme Bailey to learn about Man Utd’s plans for Chido Obi-Martin.
Man Utd’s plans for Chido Obi-Martin
Since joining from Arsenal this season, Obi-Martin is yet to make an appearance for any team, senior or youth teams.
It is understandable since he was training alone without games as the club waited for the Premier League to ratify his move.
However, Obi-Martin’s world-class potential makes it unlikely that that remains the case for long, and initial appearances for the U18s can be expected soon.
As for the first team, it is a good time to be a striker in the youth ranks at United since the senior team is fairly light at the top.
Graeme Bailey reveals that United are really happy with how Obi-Martin has settled in at the club, believing they have landed a “gem”. The chances of him being on the bench for the first team before the end of the season are fairly high too.
He said: “I am told they are very happy with how he is settling – they are keen not to get ahead of themselves. Unlikely at this point he is pushed into first-team action this season – they need to see how he goes over the winter.
“Being only 16, they really think they have landed a gem – am told it would not be a shock if you saw him on the bench before the end of the season, but barring injuries they don’t intend to rush him.”
Assessing Obi-Martin’s pathway
Initial claims about Obi-Martin’s potential first-team pathway were cast aside as the Premier League took time to ratify the deal.
Since then, the Danish striker is effectively catching up on lost time but now that he is here, expect him to make his mark quickly.
| Season | Competition | Games | Goals | Assists | Minutes |
| 23/24 | U18 Premier League | 18 | 32 | 3 | 1.434′ |
It will still be a challenge for him because United are as stacked in the striking department at the youth level as they are thin at the senior level.
Gabriele Biancheri is scoring like a man possessed, Joe Hugill has started impressing on loan, fellow new joined Samuel Lusale is highly-rated, while Bendito Mantato has taken to U18s football like a duck to water.
To clear through that crop and join the first team in quick time will be an incredible feat because for all his goalscoring exploits at Arsenal, a change of surroundings can still change quite a lot.
Having said that, if he can replicate that scoring form at United, then he is far and away the best option to get promoted quickly so he continues to be challenged.
That problem of plenty is something Erik ten Hag can do with at the first-team level!
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