Arsenal are striving to keep Chido Obi-Martin, their promising young striker but face hurdles in doing so.

The club’s problem highlights the complexities of youth contracts in England compared to the rest of Europe, putting Arsenal at a disadvantage in retaining the player.

Arsenal are currently facing a significant challenge in retaining one of Europe’s most promising talents, Chido Obi-Martin, a 16-year-old striker with both Danish and English nationality.

The North London club’s problem stems from the strict rules governing youth contracts in England, which differ markedly from those in other European countries.

This disparity puts Arsenal at risk of losing Obi-Martin to foreign clubs, with Ajax and Dortmund reportedly showing strong interest.

In England, youth players cannot sign a professional contract without a salary cap until they turn 17.

For Obi-Martin, this milestone will be reached on November 29 this year. Until then, he is bound by academy contracts and scholarships, which have a fixed earnings framework.

This aims to eliminate internal competition among clubs regarding salary offerings to young players. However, it also creates a disadvantage for English clubs when compared to their European counterparts, where clubs can offer contracts without a salary cap from the ages of 15 or 16.

This significant difference in regulations has put Arsenal in a precarious position regarding Obi-Martin’s future.

The attacker, who has already made a name for himself by scoring 10 goals in a 14-3 victory over Liverpool’s u16 team and scoring 16 in five games for Arsenal’s u18s, is reportedly receiving lucrative offers from top European clubs on a regular and consistent basis. According to reports, Ajax and Dortmund are among those ready to present an attractive package to the young Dane.

Arsenal’s inability to offer a competitive salary package or a ask for a significant transfer fee, as per UEFA’s rules for education compensation, further complicates the situation. The only price for his transfer, should he choose to move, will be based on these compensation rules.

In response to this situation, Arsenal are making concerted efforts to integrate Obi-Martin into the first team.

The club has already promoted him permanently to the u18 team, with plans for him to feature more frequently in the u21 squad.

Additionally, he has participated in several training sessions with the first team, and there are indications that Mikel Arteta might give him a first-team debut this season according to reports from Denmark.

Understanding Obi-Martin’s Arsenal contract

Reports suggest young striker Obi-Martin has already agreed to a scholarship deal with Arsenal. Here’s how it works:

• Scholarship phase: This deal will become active at the start of the 2024/25 season. Scholarship agreements typically last for two years, meaning Obi-Martin’s contract would run until 2026.
• Pro contract eligibility: Once Obi-Martin turns 17 in November, he’ll be eligible for a professional contract with Arsenal. His initial pro contract would be capped at roughly two and a half years, expiring in 2027.
• Long-term contract: After Obi-Martin turns 18, Arsenal can offer him a longer-term professional contract.

The bottom line

Obi-Martin is reportedly committed to Arsenal through to 2026, with the potential for a one-year extension in November. However, because he hasn’t signed a long-term professional deal yet, clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Ajax could still try to lure him away from Arsenal.

Obi-Martin’s performances have not gone unnoticed at the international level either.

He has already played 20 games for the Danish youth national teams, scoring 13 goals. There remains a possibility that he could switch to the English national team, a scenario that has been the subject of discussion by Danish u17 national coach Jesper Mikkelsen.