Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been criticised for failing to provide opportunities to rising stars as the Gunners prepare to lose teenage sensation Chido Obi-Martin to rivals Manchester United.
Obi-Martin, 16, is closing in on a move to the Red Devils after snubbing a new deal with Arsenal.
The prolific striker visited United’s Carrington training base last week and United are understood to be confident that a signature will be secured imminently. The Denmark youth international seemed to confirm his departure from north London in a social media post in which he thanked the club for his last four years at the club.
Obi-Martin's departure once again raises doubts over the opportunities afforded young talent within Arsenal's academy looking to break into the first-team. The criticism is a familiar one for boss Arteta, with a number of young players said to be frustrated by a dearth of chances granted them at the club.
And according to the Daily Mail, such uncertainty and frustration led Obi-Martin to search for opportunities elsewhere, leaving the door open for United to snatch him up.
Obi-Martin represents the latest promising young talent to depart the club amid grievances over first-team integration. Emile Smith-Rowe, who spent 14 years within the Gunners' youth system and is a Hale End academy graduate, is set to join Fulham on a deal valued at £35million.
The 24-year-old appeared in 33 Premier League games in his breakout 2021-22 season, contributing 10 goals and two assists and making an earnest case for the No 10 shirt to be his. Yet, since the Croydon-born playmaker has started just three league matches and not scored a league goal.
Likely joining Smith-Rowe through the Emirates' exit door are fellow Hale End grads Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson. While both players showed their worth in the 2022-23 campaign punctuated by the promise of youth stars, last season they were peripheral figures as Arteta searched for consistency.
Arteta was beseeched after January's FA Cup defeat to Liverpool to "free" Arsenal's young players by Omari Hutchinson’s brother almost two years after the midfielder's exit. The now-Ipswich Town player was part of the Gunners' youth set-up for seven years, but despite signing a professional contract in 2020, he was never given a first-team debut.
The closest opportunity arose when Hutchinson earned a place on the bench in an FA Cup defeat to Nottingham Forest in January 2022. And Hutchinson's brother Oshaye, seemingly sensing parallels in the seven academy graduates sat on the bench during the clash against Liverpool and the plight of his brother, took aim at Arteta.
He wrote on Instagram: "Some people owe my brother an apology. All the abuse and hate comments he received when he left Arsenal. I hope you guys are all seeing why!
Obi-Martin and his representatives reportedly see more opportunity for first-team football with a move to Old Trafford. While at Ajax manager Erik ten Hag was hailed for his integration of young players from the academy into the first team. Upon moving to United the Dutch coach continued that methodology, with Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho vindicating the show of faith in the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City.
Ahead of his third season Ten Hag is currently using United's pre-season games to give opportunities to a long list of young players, including Rhys Bennett, Harry Amass, Toby Collyer, Sam Murray, Maxi Oyedele and James Scanlon.