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

In an effort to lure Obi-Martin to their ranks, Manchester United presented the child with a private tour of their facilities. Although his next steps are yet to be formally verified, Obi-Martin’s exit from Arsenal was announced by the player himself through a poignant social media post.

Obi-Martin merely wrote “Thank you Arsenal” in the caption of his Instagram post and included two images. In one of them, he is shown celebrating a goal for the Gunners, but, in the other picture he scribbled a longer message which read:

“I would want to convey my heartfelt thanks to everyone at Arsenal for the last four years. The experiences and growth I’ve experienced here have been genuinely beneficial.

“A special thanks to the coaches, staff, and players at Hale End. The memories made will always be remembered. Thank you once again for this adventure. I wish everyone ongoing success and all the best for the future.”

Several Arsenal fans have responded 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 young talent potentially head in the same route rekindled old wounds and the supporters swarmed the Instagram picture with comments comparing Obi-Martin to Van Persie.