Mikel Arteta has now shared his verdict on young Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri.
Ethan Nwaneri has already made his senior debut for Arsenal.
In September 2022, then aged just 15 years and 181 days, Nwaneri was introduced by Mikel Arteta as a late substitute in a Premier League clash with Brentford.
In that moment, the teenager became the youngest player in the competition’s history, breaking the record previously held by Liverpool star Harvey Elliott. He also became the first player under 16 years of age to play in the Premier League.
On top of that, Nwaneri also became the youngest player in Arsenal’s history. The previous holder of that title was Cesc Fabregas.
Naturally, there is a lot of excitement about Nwaneri. However, he has not featured for the senior side at all since that day, though he has been named on the bench on several occasions.
Instead, he has continued to impress within the Hale End academy system. In fact, on Saturday he was part of the Arsenal under-18s side that thrashed Crewe Alexandra 7-1 in an FA Youth Cup encounter. Nwaneri bagged five of the goals in the match himself.
Arsenal fans have now made it clear that they want to see Nwaneri given another chance to shine at senior level. It seems that they are now set to get their wish. The young midfielder has been included in the squad that has travelled to face PSV Eindhoven in Tuesday’s Champions League group stage match up.
Arsenal have already been confirmed as group winners, so Arteta is likely to rotate his starting XI significantly for this fixture. Along with Nwaneri, fellow youth team gems Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters have joined up with the travelling party and will be hoping to make it onto the pitch.
Mikel Arteta talks up Arsenal gem Ethan Nwaneri
Arteta has now opened up about the qualities Nwaneri has as a player that make him so special. As quoted by the club’s official website, the Spanish coach said, “there’s something unique that he’s got that I really liked from the beginning, his ability to take the ball in tight areas and to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do.”
“The personality he has, he trains with us like he trains with the under-18s or under-16s and I love that in a player. He’s got that bit between his teeth as well that he wants to show every single day how good he is and to impress people.”
“When you have someone like that, you have to give him hope and as well it was a really important moment for us because we really wanted to keep him and I think it was a strange sign for him that this is his place for him to develop.”
In terms of Arsenal being the right place for the wonderkid to develop, the club were recently successful in their attempts to convince him to commit his future at the Emirates Stadium. As such, Arteta can bank on having the opportunity to nurture Nwaneri’s talent over the course of the coming campaigns.
Perhaps a loan move could soon be on the horizon for the 16-year-old, as he is clearly ready to test himself at a higher level than academy football.
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