Danish youth international Chido Obi made headlines last year when he departed Arsenal’s academy to join Manchester United.
Born in Denmark but of Nigerian heritage, Obi’s family relocated to London in 2020, a move that influenced his burgeoning football career.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has addressed Obi’s decision to leave the club after several years in their youth system.
Arteta expressed regret over the young talent’s departure, stating that he was not much involved in the decision.
Arteta further elaborated on the challenges of persuading young talents to stay, noting that a player’s commitment is crucial.
“Obviously, when a player decides that the best pathway for him is to leave, there’s not much you can do,” said Arteta.
“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, with Ayden (Heaven), we weren’t able to do that.
“To persuade a player to stay a player has to be willing to be with us and commit to us and I don’t know specifically, both parties will feel very different about it.
“The reality is that he has decided to move and we have moved on from that.”
Since joining Manchester United in October 2024, Obi has made a swift impact. He became the club’s third-youngest Premier League debutant at 17 years and 79 days old, following appearances against Tottenham, Everton, and Fulham.
Despite his rapid ascent, UEFA regulations have rendered him ineligible for Manchester United’s Europa League squad, as players must have an uninterrupted two-year tenure at the club to qualify.
