Arsenal have lost quite a few players over the years.
The Gunners are one of the biggest clubs in the world, and competition at the Emirates is always really high. Not everyone can make it at the top level and be a regular starter.
Mikel Arteta has shown over the years that he is more than willing to promote academy players into the first team and give them opportunities if they are good enough.
The likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles-Lewis-Skelly are thriving, but a few other youngsters over the years weren’t prepared to wait for their chance.
Many of them left Arsenal in search of a better pathway, and Arteta has had his say now on one such player.
Mikel Arteta comments on Chido Obi leaving Arsenal and joining Manchester United
Chido Obi joined Arsenal’s Academy from Copenhagen’s youth setup in the summer of 2022.
The teenager became a huge hit in North London, and some of his performances for the youth sides were like nothing we’ve ever seen before.
Chido scored 10 goals in a single game for Arsenal’s U16s against Liverpool – that’s when he became a popular figure among fans.
The youngster scored 32 goals in 18 games for the U18s and broke many records. Everyone felt he was the future of Arsenal’s attack.
However, Chido decided that he wanted to leave Arsenal at the end of his contract last summer, and he officially completed his move to Manchester United a few months later.
Now, Arteta has admitted that seeing Chido leave was ‘very unfortunate’.
He said in his press conference ahead of the game against Manchester United: “I wasn’t too involved in that decision. Obviously, when a player decides that the best pathway for him is to leave, there’s not much you can do.
“Very unfortunate because we want to keep our players from the academy and to be very successful with the first-team. But, in that case and with Ayden (Heaven), we weren’t able to do that.”
How has Chido Obi fared since leaving Arsenal and joining Manchester United?
Chido was under a lot of pressure to perform when he joined Manchester United after leaving Arsenal.
That is very unusual for a 17-year-old as more often than not, fans have no idea who you are when you are moving clubs at that age.
However, the talented Dane has done a decent job. He has scored five goals in six games in the U18 Premier League and has scored seven goals in three games in the FA Youth Cup.
Chido has played three times for Manchester United’s senior side as well, and there is a chance that he will get an opportunity against Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
It will be interesting to see how he will fare against William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.
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