Ethan Nwaneri holds the record as the youngest player ever to feature in a Premier League game.
He was 15 years and 181 days old when he made his debut for Arsenal in September 2022.
In his first proper breakthrough season in 2024/25, Nwaneri showed he was no flash in the pan.
Nine goals and two assists across all competitions, including four goals and two assists in 895 Premier League minutes — a goal contribution every 149 minutes.
He stepped into the right wing role when Bukayo Saka was injured and did not look out of place. For a 17-year-old, those numbers are remarkable.
His loan spell at Marseille obviously did not go to plan, largely due to Roberto De Zerbi’s sudden departure shortly after he arrived, which severely hampered his opportunities.
But it was more of an unfortunate circumstance rather than a reflection of his ability.
Thomas Tuchel brought him to England’s World Cup training camp despite not making the official squad, which is an indication that the England manager sees genuine long-term potential in the player.
Arsenal are expected to demand at least £50million for him this summer, which would be a record sale for the club, with Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea among the clubs likely to enquire.
What’s the lowest transfer fee you would sell Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri to Chelsea for?
But Arsenal have a very compelling reason to hold off on any potential departure until deadline day at the earliest.
Bukayo Saka’s fitness makes Ethan Nwaneri more valuable right now
It’s been well documented that England are having to manage Saka’s minutes this summer, due to an Achilles problem he has been playing with since April.
He has still been effective, though, providing three assists — the most of any England player. But he is evidently not at his sharpest and hasn’t featured as much as Tuchel would have liked.
Along with William Saliba and Declan Rice, who are going through similar fitness battles, it is imperative that Saka is not rushed back for the start of next season.
Arsenal open at home to Coventry on Friday 21 August before a trickier trip to Villa Park the following week. Ethan Nwaneri is more than capable of making an impact in those opening fixtures.
Noni Madueke can start in Saka’s absence having shown at the World Cup he is ready for that responsibility.
But having Nwaneri as a high-quality backup option gives Mikel Arteta good depth and a potential game-changer from the bench.
16-year-old Max Dowman is also expected to take on a larger role next season and could feature too.
Use Nwaneri in the opening stretch, see how he performs, and move him on closer to deadline day once Saka is ready to return.
If he impresses so much, Arteta may even do a U-turn and decide to keep him.
If Chelsea, Dortmund, or any other club comes in before then, Arsenal should make them wait. He is too useful right now to sell in a hurry.
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