Arsenal could face Serge Gnabry repeat with wonderkid they’re ‘desperate’ to keep

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Arsenal currently run the risk of losing talented youth prospect Chido Obi.

Arsenal academy wonderkid Chido Obi is already turning heads.

The 16-year-old wowed pundits earlier this season when he bagged a scarcely believable 10-goal haul in a 14-3 win against Liverpool under-16s.

The Danish sensation is clearly a supreme talent, having represented his country at under-17 level. Obi has even drawn comparisons with Napoli star striker Victor Osimhen, due to his physicality, impressive hold up play, and excellent finishing ability. 

However, the north London club now face the prospect of seeing Obi poached away from their Hale End academy system.

According to Sport1, Borussia Dortmund are keen to snap up the young forward, despite Arsenal being “desperate” to retain his services. The German outfit are confident that they can prise the player away from the Emirates Stadium, as due to his age, Arsenal cannot yet offer Obi a professional contract under the terms of British law. Dortmund, on the other hand, face no such restrictions. 

Obi does not turn 17 until late November, so the Gunners cannot offer him a professional deal until then. The lure of a full salary at Dortmund could tempt him away from Arsenal before then. 

Could Chido Obi follow in the footsteps of former Arsenal ace Serge Gnabry?

It would not be the first time that a talented prospect has traded in Arsenal for the Bundesliga.

In 2016, Serge Gnabry signed for Werder Bremen, despite Arsene Wenger wanting to keep him at the club and offering a new contract. Ultimately, Gnabry felt he would get more game time in Germany, and he was proved correct, as he is now an established first team star at Bayern Munich, and has been for a number of years, having been afforded the opportunity to flourish at Werder Bremen.

Whilst the scenario with Obi is not exactly the same, Arsenal do now face a repeat of something similar to the Gnabry situation. As Gnabry did when considering the Bundesliga, Obi may well feel that a clearer path to the first team exists for him at Dortmund than at Arsenal, having seen the likes of Jadon Sancho and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens make the breakthrough there in recent years, having first been lured away from Premier League academies. 

Mikel Arteta and academy director Per Mertesacker will now be doing all they can to convince Obi not to give up on Arsenal, and the club will also surely be prepared to offer the player attractive professional terms the instant that they are allowed to, if he is still on their books at that time.