Hale End starlet has ‘moved ahead’ of £34m ace in Arsenal pecking order, he has huge opportunity

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Arsenal have just one pre-season friendly left before the Premier League season begins, and this is the last chance some players have to work their way into the team.

Several fringe players and youngsters were handed opportunities to shine whilst key players were absent throughout Arsenal’s pre-season campaign, but with the league campaign set to start, they may find themselves out of the starting XI.

Arsenal will play French side Lyon in the Emirates Cup, and Mikel Arteta is likely to select a starting XI as close to the one which will be named against Wolves on the opening day.

This means that for players such as Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson, they may be out of chances to force their way into the team, and in the case of Vieira, one player has perhaps even overtaken him in the pecking order.

• READ MORE: Every player linked to and from Arsenal in the summer 2024 transfer window

Has Ethan Nwaneri usurped Fabio Vieira in the Arsenal midfield?

Hale End starlet Ethan Nwaneri has gone from strength to strength, and he has been outstanding playing alongside senior professionals during pre-season.

Nwaneri has shown that he is ready for more first-team action, and the 17-year-old has now seemingly gone ahead of Vieira in Arteta’s midfield plans.

“I would argue Nwaneri has moved ahead of someone like Fabio Vieira in the midfield pecking order,” Football.London journalist Kaya Kaynak claimed.

In pre-season, Vieira was used on the right-wing in the absence of Bukayo Saka, whilst Nwaneri was given significant minutes in midfield, and the 17-year-old perhaps did more to show he was worthy of more game time than the £34m signing from Porto.

Fabio Vieira is running out of time at Arsenal

Right now, if Arteta had to choose between Vieira or Nwaneri to start in the midfield three, he may be more inclined to pick Nwaneri to see how he can develop.

Vieira is a talented player, but his chances of game time in midfield now look slim, especially if Mikel Merino joins as expected.

Unless Arsenal sign a winger, his only chance at game time might now be on the right wing as direct cover for Saka, but there are huge question marks over whether he is suited to such a role.

Vieira now has to impress on any opportunity he is given, no matter which position he is in, otherwise he may find that any chances that could go to him in midfield, now go to Nwaneri.