Manchester United close to announcing wonderkid signing from rivals: report
Manchester United appear set to land a promising young forward
Manchester United’s two major signings so far this summer have seen the club move to bring in younger talent.
Eighteen-year-old Leny Yoro is rated as one of Europe’s best young defensive prospects, while they hope 23-year-old Joshua Zirkzee has his best years ahead of him.
These early signings have shown a clear shift in the club’s thinking under Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his Ineos team, as they look to avoid repeating some of the expensive transfer misfires that the Glazers have been guilty of in recent seasons.
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The next player in at Old Trafford is set to be an even younger talent, with the club reportedly closing in on the signing of 16-year-old striker Chido Obi-Martin, who left rivals Arsenal in the summer.
According to Academy Scoop on X, the teenager has completed a medical at the club’s Carrington training ground and is now just awaiting Premier League ratification of his deal, which will be completed in the coming days or weeks.
The young Danish forward hit the headlines last season when he scored ten goals for Arsenal’s under-16s side in a game against Liverpool.
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Obi-Martin is a Danish youth international who joined Arsenal from Copenhagen side KB at the age of 14, but has opted to leave the Gunners upon the expiration of his contract this summer as he reportedly had doubts over a potential pathway to first-team football at the Emirates.
He has also reportedly turned down more lucrative offers from Germany to sign up with the Red Devils. Manchester United will hope that the youngster will be able to maintain his sensational scoring record this season, after he netted 32 goals in 20 games for Arsenal’s under-18s side last year.
In addition to scoring ten against Liverpool’s U16s, he netted seven for the U18s against Norwich in April and five against West Ham.
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For more than a decade Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor, with stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others. He is the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team.