Mikel Arteta has dismissed suggestions Chido Obi-Martin left Arsenal for Manchester United over a concern about first-team opportunities at the Emirates amid reports he in fact left for he money.
The striker has played in three of United’s last five games under Ruben Amorim having swapped Arsenal for the Red Devils in the summer.
Obi-Martin was one of the hottest young talents in the Arsenal academy, notably playing his first game for the U21s when he was just 15 and renowned as a prolific goalscorer throughout his time there.
But the club chiefs were unable to persuade Obi to sign professional terms with the club and Arteta admits his exit was “very unfortunate”.
“Depending on what is the reason, they want to go somewhere else — that is it,” Arteta said. “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, [but] both parties will feel very different about it.
“I wasn’t too involved in that decision. When a player decides the best pathway is to leave, there’s not much you can do. Very unfortunate.”
According to the Times, Arsenal offered Obi a similar route to the first-team as Ethan Nwaneri, who has enjoyed a breakout season, but believe the player’s head was turned after United ‘offered him a lot more money’.
The report does though note that claim is disputed by the player’s camp, who insist the clearer pathway to first-team football was the sole reason behind his move.
18-year-old defender Ayden Heaven left Arsenal for United at the same time, but with both Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly now playing significant roles in the first team, Arteta dismissed suggestions that young players at the club are concerned they won’t be given opportunities.
“I don’t know whether the perception is out [there],” Arteta added. “Internally it is not [that young players don’t get chances]. The reality is very different, because those players are always with us. I guarantee you that if there is a player there that can help and impact the first team, he’s going to be with us.”
Obi-Martin’s exit has been more keenly felt thanks to Arsenal’s injury crisis, which has left Arteta with just Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri as available forwards, while Mikel Merino has been used up front.
MORE ARSENAL COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Ferdinand names the four sides who would beat Arsenal in the Champions League
👉 Arsenal ‘lead’ Sesko transfer ‘race’ as reporter ‘hears’ update with ‘gentleman’s agreement’ confirmed
👉 Arsenal ‘open talks’ over ‘mega-money summer deal’ with Berta a ‘huge fan’ of forward
Riccardo Calafiori has also emerged as a potential option for Arteta, who admits he’s been surprised by the Italian’s attacking prowess.
When asked whether he was aware of Calafiori’s attacking intuition before signing him, Arteta replied: “No, he certainly has that capacity to flow in areas that for a defender is very unusual.
“So that was something that really caught my eye. The other one that is very unpredictable, sometimes chaotic and that can be very difficult as well from the opposition.
“And that eye on goal, especially in open play, to be fair, I didn’t have that understanding of the things that he could do.
“But you see day to day in training that he’s very capable of creating things that they are not there in that moment.”
Calafiori has said in the past that he’s open to playing up front if that’s what his manager wants.
Calafiori said, as per TMW: “As I have always said and I repeat, I feel I can play in any role and obviously I would be ready to play it (as a striker).
“Then, honestly, we should talk more about the technical and tactical aspects, it wouldn’t be easy because I’ve never done it in my life.
“Obviously, if you ask me I’ll do it, but I don’t know if it could really be an alternative.
“It’s one thing to already be there, as I always tell my teammates, and it’s another thing to get there on the run, which is a totally different thing. And I’m really good at that.”
