Manchester United starlet believes he is “best in the world” for his age, says coach

Former Arsenal academy coach Paul Aladejare has explained that Manchester United academy star Chido Obi-Martin believes he is one of the best in the world for his age.

Manchester United have made waves both on and off the pitch recently, appointing Rúben Amorim as their new head coach to replace Erik ten Hag, while continuing to prioritize investment in their academy system.

This summer, United made headlines by signing some of the most promising young players in world football, including Chido Obi-Martin, a highly rated talent who joined the U18s from Arsenal in a surprise move.

Read More: £97k p/w Chelsea star urged to join Manchester United, could be “excellent” under Rúben Amorim

Since his arrival, Obi-Martin has wasted no time showcasing his abilities. In his first eight games, he has scored six goals and provided three assists, including a stunning hat-trick on his debut.

The 17-year-old’s impressive form reached new heights in a 3-0 victory over Stoke City’s U18s, where he became the all-time leading scorer in U18 Premier League history. With 37 goals in just 23 appearances across his time at Arsenal and United, Obi-Martin is proving to be one of the brightest stars in youth football.

Obi-Martin’s first impression

Paul Aladejare, former Arsenal academy coach, has told The Athletic the story of Obi-Martin’s move from from Kjobenhavns Boldklub to Arsenal back in 2022.

“He was so leggy and walked with such a swagger. I thought, ‘Who on earth is this?’,” Aladejare recalled

“His English wasn’t great but he understood football terms. At half-time [in his first trial game], I tried to get him to simplify things so I said, ‘Run, skill, shoot’.

“He scored four goals. They were all excellent finishes, too. In the final minute, he got the ball wide, went past three players, cut in and curled it into the far corner at top speed as if it was nothing. He was the real deal.

“One scout I was chatting to thought he looked OK, wasn’t there technically, so predicted he would become a centre-half! I looked up at the sky and shook my head.”

Aladejare revealed that it took only 20 minutes of watching Obi-Martin torment opposition defenders for him to call his Arsenal superiors and insist the striker had to be signed immediately.

According to Aladejare, the youngster had already attracted attention from scouts representing every club in London.

Best in the world

Further, the former Arsenal academy scout explained that United’s Obi-Martin has full belief that he is one of the best young players in world football.

“He believes he is the best player in his age group in the world,” Aladejare continued. “That is his mentality.

“I did one-on-one technical sessions with him when he was at Arsenal. He was like a sponge. He could take 10 shots, bag nine and if he missed one he wanted to start again. He goes again until he gets it right. He used to be a good finisher and now he’s a great finisher.

“He can still be better in his striking but he’s got quite an unconventional technique. But if it is still ending up in the corner of the net then who cares?”

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