Morning all.

The Athletic reports that Manchester United are exploring a deal to sign youth striker Chido Obi-Martin following the expiry of his schoolboy terms at Arsenal. The 16-year-old visited United’s Carrington training facilities earlier this week, with the club in early-stage discussions over a move. Arsenal made what they felt was a fair offer to Obi-Martin, whose next deal will be a scholarship before switching to a professional contract upon reaching his 17th birthday.

This kid has no loyalty to Arsenal whatsoever and why should he, after all, he’s only been at the club for a couple of years. He might have been a prolific goal scorer throughout his short Arsenal youth career and scoring ten goals against Liverpool might have turned a few heads but look at Eddie Nketiah who broke records for England under 21’s, life in the Premier League is a very different thing to playing academy football.

I’d rather he stayed but he clearly thinks the offer Arsenal have put to him isn’t good enough, or he’s simply unhappy about what his career path looks like in north London.

Should Arsenal be concerned that one of its bright young players thinks moving elsewhere is a better option than staying put?

No one knows how good Obi-Martin might turn out to be right now. He might make it to the top, but just like so many who have thought there’s greener grass away from Arsenal, he might end up playing in the Championship or back in Denmark. Even some of our most exciting or talented 16 year olds who’ve left us for Barcelona, Chelsea or another club have ended up moving again soon after. If Obi-Martin succeeds in the game, he’ll be an exception rather than the rule but that won’t stop Arsenal taking a media hammering for ‘allowing’ him to leave.

I think what’s more important for Arsenal and any football club for that matter is having players at the club who really want to be there because only they will give their absolute best week in and week out. Arsenal have had more than their fair share of players who if their performances were anything to go by, weren’t happy at the club. Having them around the squad had and will often have a detrimental effect on the others who want Arsenal to be a successful club at every level.

Despite constantly reading stories about a deal for Riccardo Calafiori being close, such stories might have been a tad premature as yesterday, according to The Mirror, Bologna chief Claudio Fenucci was asked if there was any update regarding Calafiori’s move, to which he replied: “No, there are no developments.”  Add that to the Football365 story about reports in Spain suggesting Arsenal have offered €40m (£34m) to Barcelona for Spanish defender Alejandro Balde – perhaps Arsenal have opted to change direction in pursuit of a new left back.

I know, it’s all conjecture. Fenucci is not going to tell some random reporter what’s going on between his club and Arsenal and ‘reports in Spain’ could have come from anywhere or anyone.

I hate the saying what will be will be but in the case of transfers in or out it’s so true. It doesn’t matter what’s written in the back pages, unless David Ornstein has his name attached to the article,  it’s usually not worth the paper it’s written on. If Arsenal really want a player and that player only wants to join Arsenal, then I’m quietly confident the club will do all it can to get him through the door.

Catch up in the comments…

 

 

 

 

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