Man Utd striker can be 'one of the best players in world' says Ian Wright

Ian Wright has tipped Manchester United’s teenage prodigy Chido Obi-Martin to become “one of the best players in the world.”

The former Arsenal former gave a glowing endorsement tinged with regret over the striker’s departure from the Gunners’ academy.

Speaking on his Wrighty’s House podcast, Wright confessed it’s “painful” to watch the 17-year-old thrive at Old Trafford after Arsenal failed to secure him long-term.

Obi-Martin, who swapped north London for Manchester in September 2024 following stalled contract talks, has quickly emerged as a beacon of hope for United amid their senior team’s struggles in 13th place in the Premier League.

Obi-Martin’s Arsenal youth record was jaw-dropping—32 goals in a single U18 season, including 10 in a 14-3 demolition of Liverpool’s U16s and seven in a 9-0 rout of Norwich City.

Since joining United, he’s kept the goals flowing, announcing himself with a 15-minute hat-trick on his U18 debut against Nottingham Forest in October 2024.

Wright praised his “lethal finishing and movement,” drawing parallels to Napoli’s Victor Osimhen, and rued Arsenal’s loss of a talent who could have solved their striker shortage under Mikel Arteta. “It stings to see him at United, but his quality is undeniable,” Wright admitted.

The Danish youth international, born in 2007, left Arsenal after United pounced, reportedly swayed by a clearer path to first-team football—though some X posts hint at unverified grumbles about unmet promises regarding training facilities.

For United fans, Obi-Martin’s arrival offers a silver lining in a turbulent season marked by fan protests and transfer rumours, like those linking Bruno Fernandes to Real Madrid.

While Ruben Amorim has yet to integrate him into the senior squad, the club views him as a future cornerstone, potentially alongside targets like Hugo Ekitike.

Wright’s backing elevates the hype, positioning Obi-Martin as a symbol of United’s youth-driven rebuild, even as Arsenal supporters lament what might have been in a season crying out for his firepower.