Manchester United are not messing around this summer and the latest signing of Chido Obi-Martin is one that may be looked back on as a stroke of genius.
United’s new-look recruitment team have been firing on all cylinders this window with deals already finalised for Joshua Zirkzee and Leny Yoro.
Signing the young duo signals that United are focused on the future and the long-term project under new ownership.
A third signing is now imminent with Fabrizio Romano confirming that Chido Obi-Martin has decided to join Manchester United.
The 16-year-old wonderkid striker made the decision to leave Arsenal, and out of the stack of offers on his desk he has chosen a move to Old Trafford.
It is a huge statement of intent that will catch the attention of United’s rivals, and there are five big reasons why fans should be excited about the deal.
A goal-scoring machine
To get to the point, Obi-Martin is good at scoring goals. Really good.
Obi-Martin’s goalscoring record at Arsenal is bound to put stars in the eyes of United fans – he scored 26 goals in 32 appearances across all competitions.
But that doesn’t fairly paint the picture. Obi-Martin averaged a goal or assist every 47.8 minutes that he’s on the pitch.
To put that into context, Bruno Fernandes averaged a goal or assist every 173 minutes last season.
Obi-Martin also flooded headlines earlier this year after scoring seven goals in one match against Norwich City and 10 – yes, ten – goals against Liverpool in an Under-16s match.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s ‘next Mbappe’ promise
After completing a minority takeover at Old Trafford, there were a lot of question marks around how Ineos would run the club, specifically in terms of transfers.
Chelsea’s new owners certainly haven’t gotten things right – the Blues are now stuck with a bloated squad and have spent billions in months.
But Ratcliffe made sure to get the right people in the right places, including Omar Berrada and Dan Ashworth, and the transfer strategy is now starting to shine through.
Ratcliffe said that he “would rather sign the next Mbappe rather than spend a fortune buying success” – and the deal for Obi-Martin is the biggest sign that he is following up on that promise.
Obi-Martin will not be the last exciting youngster to join United’s project – but he could be the most important.
Obi-Martin is built for the Premier League
There are signs that Obi-Martin could have a role in the first team sooner than most anticipated.
He has been offered the opportunity to be the third-choice striker behind Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee, and he has the physical attributes to thrive in the Premier League.
The Danish Under-17 coach Jesper Mikkelsen has summed up why Obi-Martin is ready for first-team football.
Speaking to Bold, he said “He is physically far ahead, and in that way he can dominate his opponent because he is so physically strong.
“Although he is a tall and lanky player, don’t mistake him because he also has good technique and is really good at controlling the ball and finishing.”
“In fact, he is also a good dribbler. It is almost everything you need as a footballer.”
There are a few exciting youngsters who have had the technical ability to shine but needed to catch up physically before being handed their chance in the first team – that isn’t the case with Obi-Martin.
Ruud van Nistelrooy
United’s training strategies have been questioned and criticised in recent seasons – even by players.
But the noises coming from United’s pre-season sessions suggest that players have been impressed by Ruud van Nistelrooy since his appointment.
The legendary United striker has wasted no time getting his hands on United’s attacking stars, and he now has the chance to train one of the most exciting young strikers in the country.
There is no one better equipped to teach Obi-Martin the tricks of the trade before his inevitable promotion to the first team.
A deadly partnership with Rasmus Hojlund
United now have three young, hungry and exciting strikers on the books.
The striker position has been filled with short-term solutions in recent seasons but there is now a real buzz about the attacking trio being able to grow together and compete for the starting spot.
Obi-Martin has spoken highly about Hojlund, and he even named his Danish teammate as a role model.
READ MORE: Man Utd fans all make same point as Chido Obi-Martin set to join the club, they send a clear message
“I really like Rasmus Hojlund,” Obi-Martin told Bold. “He is strong and powerful, so you can learn a lot from him. At the start he didn’t score that much for United, but now he has really found his form.”
“He is left-footed, I am right-footed, but we can both score goals”.
Those words will be music to the ears of United fans. It seems a deadly new partnership could be brewing at Old Trafford.
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