Ethan Nwaneri could be the big loser from Max Dowman’s emergence at Arsenal, with the 16-year-old able to fill two of his positions and Bukayo Saka also staying long-term.
The 18-year-old will have been fuming to see the Gunner sign Noni Madueke in the summer for £55 million and the former Chelsea man taking his place in the squad.
🌟 Who is the bigger Arsenal prospect: Max Dowman or Ethan Nwaneri?
The winger showed immense promise at the Emirates Stadium last season; however, this term, he hardly played and was shipped out on loan.
Nwaneri is having a mixed spell on loan at Marseille, and whilst he will be delighted for Dowman, he has every right to be slightly envious of his role in the squad.
Max Dowman could take Ethan Nwaneri’s spot at Arsenal
Max Dowman’s emergence at Arsenal could mean that Ethan Nwaneri’s opportunities at Arsenal become even fewer when he finally returns from his loan spell.
Nwaneri has dropped out of the team at Marseille and is struggling for minutes over in the Ligue 1, which is one of the only negatives at the North London club this season.
Meanwhile, back at Arsenal, Dowman was named man of the match against Mansfield Town in the FA Cup, continuing to show why he is the future in N5.
Be honest: What did you make of Max Dowman’s performance vs Mansfield Town?
The 16-year-old featured in a right-sided midfield role and managed to run the show in the Midlands for the Gunners.
There are very high hopes that Dowman will go on to become one of the best players in Europe at Arsenal, which could leave Nwaneri in a tricky spot.
Saka has signed a new contract at Arsenal until 2030, which means Arsenal’s two right-sided attacking spots look to be on lock for the foreseeable future.
As we have seen, rotation and options will be key, but Dowman does not look far off from being a regular starter already, and Saka is undroppable.
Nwaneri will need to produce a special response if he is to break into the team at Arsenal, but that will be tricky if he is not playing regularly.
It’s a great problem for Mikel Arteta to have in pre-season, but certainly one he will need to be ready for to keep everyone happy.
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