REVEALED: Mikel Arteta Reveals Shocking Reason Chido Obi Left Arsenal for Manchester United

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has spoken about Chido Obi’s decision to leave the club and join Manchester United last summer. The 17-year-old striker, who was a prolific scorer in Arsenal’s youth system, surprised many by making the move to Old Trafford instead of staying to fight for a place on Arsenal’s first team.

Obi had an incredible record in Arsenal’s under-18 squad, scoring 32 goals and providing 3 assists in just 21 games. His performances made him one of the most exciting young forwards at the club. However, instead of continuing his development in North London, he allowed his contract to expire and signed with Manchester United in October.

Now, as Obi prepares to face his former club in the Premier League, Arteta has addressed the reasons behind his departure. Speaking to the media, the Arsenal boss admitted that it was ultimately the player’s decision to leave.

Arteta made it clear that Arsenal wanted to keep Obi but could not convince him to stay. “Obviously, when a player decides that the best pathway for him is to leave, there’s not much you can do,” he said.

The Spanish coach emphasized that keeping young talents at the club is always a priority. “We want to keep our players from the academy and see them succeed with the first team,” Arteta continued. “But in this case, we weren’t able to do that.”

Interestingly, Arteta hinted that Obi’s move might not have been just about footballing opportunities. He explained, “To persuade a player to stay, he has to be willing to commit to us. I don’t know specifically, but both parties will feel very different about it.”

Reports suggest that financial reasons played a big role in Obi’s decision. According to The Times, Arsenal insiders believe that United offered the young striker a much better financial package than what Arsenal could provide. However, Manchester United have denied this claim, insisting that their pathway to the first team was simply more attractive than Arsenal’s.

With Arsenal currently facing an injury crisis in attack, some believe Obi could have gotten his chance in the first team if he had stayed. His former academy teammates, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, have already been included in Arteta’s senior squad this season.

When asked whether Arsenal gives enough opportunities to young players, Arteta dismissed the idea that youth players don’t get chances. “I don’t know what the perception is outside, but internally, no,” he said. “If there’s a player who can help and impact the first team, he’s going to be with us.”

Since joining Manchester United, Obi has quickly impressed. He has already made three senior appearances under Ruben Amorim and has been involved in the squad for important matches. However, his ineligibility for the Europa League recently caused some frustration, as United would have liked to use him in that competition.

Obi was also rested for United’s FA Cup tie against Fulham last weekend, meaning he missed the chance to play against Arsenal in the FA Youth Cup. However, he will have an opportunity to face his former club when Manchester United take on Arsenal at Old Trafford this weekend.

Chido Obi’s decision to leave Arsenal remains a talking point, especially now that he is making strides at Manchester United. While Arteta insists that the decision was Obi’s to make, the speculation around financial incentives and first-team opportunities will continue.