'Money over passion' - Furious Arsenal fans compare Chido Obi-Martin to Robin van Persie as 16-year-old confirms exit after Man Utd transfer talks

Arsenal had offered Obi-Martin new schoolboy terms, as players under 17 cannot sign professional contracts. Despite the club's efforts to retain the 16-year-old, an agreement could not be reached, leading to his departure.

In a bid to lure Obi-Martin to their ranks, Manchester United provided the youngster with a private tour of their facilities. Although his next steps have yet to be officially confirmed, Obi-Martin's exit from Arsenal was announced by the player himself through a heartfelt social media post.

Obi-Martin simply wrote "Thank you Arsenal" in the caption of his Instagram post and attached two pictures. In one of them, he is seen celebrating a goal for the Gunners, whereas, in the other picture he wrote a longer message which read: "I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Arsenal for the last four years. The experiences and growth I've achieved here have been truly invaluable.

"A special thanks to the coaches, staff, and teammates at Hale End. The memories made will always be remembered. Thank you once again for this journey. I wish everyone continued success and all the best for the future."

Several Arsenal fans have reacted to Obi-Martin's departure with disappointment, with many drawing parallels to the exit of Robin van Persie. The Dutch forward's move to Manchester United in 2012 still resonates painfully with supporters, not only because he went on to win the Premier League title in his first season at Old Trafford but also because of the profound sense of betrayal and loss felt by the fans upon his departure to a direct rival. Seeing another promising talent potentially head in the same direction revived old wounds and the fans flooded the Instagram post with comments comparing Obi-Martin to Van Persie.

@modenine_polimaf, wrote: "Chidoobi van Persie 😢"

Meanwhile, @baxterwalker_ said: "Money over passion we’ve seen this before".

@silly.calafiori posted: "worst move in career bro".

Another user, @yaqub_wagdi, shared a GIF with a message that read: "You are a disgrace."

@madoc_b14, wrote: "won't be missed."

Obi-Martin was in inspirational form last season and netted five hat-tricks in the final nine games of the Under-18 Premier League season. He even scored seven past Norwich in a nine-goal thumping which led United to chase his signature.

While Obi-Martin's exit is a setback, Arsenal fans have found some solace in the recent acquisition of Riccardo Calafiori. The Italy international centre-back has joined the Gunners from Bologna, bringing hope and excitement following his impressive performances at Euro 2024 and has already met his new teammates in the United States. He might make his debut against Liverpool on July 31 in their next pre-season friendly.