Arsenal are closing in on a new long-term contract for wonder kid Ethan Nwaneri to reward his continued rapid rise.
Mail Sport claimed that the proposed deal is up to five years in length.
The attacker, who is one of Arsenal’s most promising prospects, has scored eight goals in 29 appearances this season as he’s stepped up on the right wing to fill a gap left by Bukayo Saka’s hamstring injury.
Nwaneri previously signed his first professional contract with the Gunners last year aged 17 — the youngest eligible age to sign such terms — which is three years in length.
He turned 18 yesterday and the north London club are looking to go a step further to secure his long term future, with Nwaneri’s quick progression this season having surpassed the high expectations of Arsenal staff.
The Gunners have previously had to ward off interest from both Chelsea and Manchester City.
Nwaneri made his Premier League debut on 18 September 2022 against Brentford at the age of 15 years and 181 days, becoming the youngest player to appear in the top flight of English football.
He then continued to impress at youth team level, before becoming a permanent member of the first-team squad this season.
Coach Eric Chelle has asked Alex Iwobi to use his Arsenal connections to sound out teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri on the possibility of playing for the Super Eagles shortly.
The Super Eagles coach met with former Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi Thursday as part of his meet-and-greet with Super Eagles stars ahead of next month’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe.
“He has asked Iwobi to talk with the boy’s parents among other things,” a source informed SCORENigeria
Nwaneri, 17, who was born in London, has caught the eye with some assured displays as Arsenal stay in touch with leaders Liverpool for the coveted Premier League crown.
The left-footed midfielder has scored three goals in 14 Premier League appearances this season.
He is already a schoolboy international with England.
One of the undoubted stars of Arsenal 5-1 drubbing of champions Manchester city has been 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri. In an utterly dominated EPL match in Emirates, Nwaneri created what is an icing on the cake for the homers when he coolly slotted a long range from the left, typical of injured skipper Bukayo Saka.
Nwaneri, who shares same Nigerian roots with Saka, having born to a Nigerian father, must have taken cue from the England international with the manner he volleyed the ball in leaving City’s defence line stranded. It was the fifth and final goal of Arsenal, who were looking for the maximum point to stay in line for EPL title.
NOT A FLUKE
For Nwaneri, this was far from a fluke. He had showed similar trait on the run to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup.
His first-ever start came in the third-round win over Bolton Wanderers last September, and he marked the occasion with two goals. A few weeks later he was back in the starting line-up for the fourth-round trip to Preston, and he once again stole the show, curling home the goal of the game in Arsenal 3-0 win.
But the Hale End graduate’s performances this season haven’t been restricted just to the League Cup. He’s featured in more than half of Premier League games, scoring in the 3-0 home win over Nottingham Forest, and he’s also made his Champions League bow as well.
Well documented at the time – he became the youngest player in the club’s history when he made his debut, away to Brentford on September 18, 2022 – aged 15 years and 181 days. He also set a new record for youngest-ever Premier League player for any club that day too.
It’s the future that excites Ethan most, though. He doesn’t turn 18 until March, and despite all he’s achieved in his nascent career so far, he insists he’s just getting started.
First of all Ethan, how pleased are you with your season so far?
I’m pleased with how it’s going, I’ve scored my first Premier League goal, I’ve been making more appearances. I’ve made my first starts for the first team, scored my first professional goals too, but there is a lot more to come and it will come.
My first game of the season was special because it was in the north London derby. We had a few injuries at the time, so I was ready to be involved if needed. The manager gave me some tactical advice and encouragement and then sent me on.
I was always an Arsenal supporter growing up, so obviously it means a lot to be involved in a win there – it made it even better. I used to watch all the derbies when I was at Hale End, and I went to a few of them at the Emirates. One of my favourites was when Emile Smith Rowe scored early on and we won 3-1. That’s a good memory for me.
You then played from the start against Bolton in the Carabao Cup, and scored twice – what was that was like?
It was a crazy feeling! But that was what I was in the team to do, so I was happy I could deliver on that. My family were all there so afterwards everyone was really happy, but they were just reminding me that there is more to come. I’ve got the shirt from that game at home. It’s a special one but hopefully there’s a lot more to come.
In the next round you scored again. Surely you haven’t scored many better than that goal at Preston?
Yes, it was a good one! I was pleased with that, because that’s what I work on, being dangerous in those areas, so it’s great when it pays off in a game. I’d say it’s one of my best so far, definitely.
Again that’s what I expect from myself, and I want to carry it on until the next one. I set myself high standards that I want to keep reaching.
You then made your Champions League debut at the San Siro of all places…
That was a great experience, coming on at the end. I was so grateful to come on. I watched the Champions League growing up and always wanted to play in it. I watched all the finals especially Cristiano Ronaldo scoring for Real Madrid, so it means a lot to play in it now. And when you are involved in it, travelling to the games, they feel really big.
That’s what I love about it – they are always big occasions and that’s when I’m at my best. I love the big games, and it’s always been that way for me, 100 per cent. A final or a big tournament, or going on tour while I was at Hale End – I loved that. I just feel like I thrive in that environment, and love the pressure of it. I’ve been like that for as long as I can remember.
What have the coaches been saying to you this season about your progress?
The manager and all the coaches have been great. They say to me to just keep going and encourage me. Whether I’m playing or not, I need to keep working, keep doing what I’m doing and always aim to improve.
How difficult is it for you to remain level-headed when there is such excitement surrounding you from our supporters?
I just know and I see where I want to be, and where I’m going to be, and I focus on that. Nobody has really seen anything from me yet, just a small snippet of what’s to come, so I’ve got a much bigger picture in my mind that I want to work towards.
Tell us a bit about your Arsenal journey so far?
I joined the academy when I was eight, but I was in the pre-academy before that, so I’ve been here all my life basically. I’ve always been a midfielder – I haven’t really changed position much. Around under-14s and under-15s I played as a striker a bit more, and that was good for my development because I really improved my finishing then.
I played a bit as a defensive midfielder too in my under-16 season, and right wing, left wing, too. That all added a lot to my game. But I’d say attacking midfield is my best position, and where I would like to be long-term.
Which coaches have been important for you in your career so far?
I’ve had loads through my time here. Dan Micciche, Adam Birchall, Jack Wilshere, Mehmet Ali, Max Porter – I’ve had so many, and also those when I was really young.
My dad, Obi, coaches me and my brother, Emerson, who’s 14 and at Hale End. I’d say my dad is my main coach, my main critic and my main support. Over the years he’s always taken me and my brother to do extra work in our local park in Islington, to help with finishing, working on our touch or whatever. We live local to Emirates Stadium so it’s great that we’ve done that.
Tell us about your brother Emerson…
He’s a midfielder but he can play right back as well. He’s in the under-15s this year. We’re really close, but I wouldn’t say we are that similar. He’s probably more outgoing than me – he’s the loud one! There are three years between us so it would be really cool if we could both play in the Arsenal first-team together one day. We’ve spoken about that a bit and what that would be like, it’s something to aim for.
Which senior players have helped you since you’ve made the step up to first- team football?
There’s loads, they all do. Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka have both been great for me, and not just me but all the young players. They help us with everything, and somebody like Bukayo has had that journey already. That’s really important – he knows what we are going through, he can help me, offer me insights on what can help me.
He’s so good to talk to because he’s so chilled and humble, but also I try to watch him as much as I can and learn that way. Martin as well, he was playing when he was 15 too, so to have that experience with me in the dressing room is great.
Take us back to your emotions when you made your debut a couple of years ago, and dealing with all the attention?
It all happened so quickly, but afterwards, my parents and everyone at the club really supported me, and helped me focus on school and things like that. So I didn’t feel like any pressure was getting to me, or like I had any expectations on me.
After the game I went away with England, but then I was back at school. That was great because my friends were all proud of me, but nobody really made a big deal of it, we just carried on like normal. They’ve all grown up with me, they know what I want to achieve, so it’s part of the journey and that’s it. The support I’ve had from everyone has been great.
“Nobody has really seen anything from me yet. I’ve got a much bigger picture in my mind that I want to work towards”
Finally, you are also doing really well for England Under-19s lately, how much are you enjoying international football?
I’ve always enjoyed England camps – it’s really good. You meet up with your friends from different clubs and it breaks the circuit a bit. It’s a change of scenery and sometimes that can do you good. I’m enjoying playing for the 19s, and now I’m looking to step up more. I’m always looking to step up whenever I play, so let’s see what happens.
Arsenal have suffered a fresh injury blow after rising star Ethan Nwaneri was ruled out for “a few weeks” with a muscular problem.
Nwaneri suffered the injury in Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Brighton on Saturday and had to be taken off at half-time.
Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta confirmed the teenage forward, who had scored his side’s first half goal against Brighton, faces an extended spell on the sidelines.
The 17-year-old has scored five times in 18 appearances in all competitions this term after emerging from the Arsenal youth academy.
With England forward Bukayo Saka expected to be out until at least March following surgery on a hamstring injury, Nwaneri’s absence is another setback for Arteta ahead of a hectic spell of nine games in 30 days.
Raheem Sterling has missed the last five matches with a knee injury, while Kai Havertz was absent from the Brighton match through illness.
Ill captain Martin Odegaard was only fit enough for a second half cameo against Brighton, while defenders Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are also sidelined.
“Unfortunately Ethan has picked up a muscular injury, he will be out for a few weeks,” Arteta told reporters. “He has earned the right to step up and play for us. I’m gutted for him because it’s going to stop that a little bit.”
Arsenal are back in action today when Newcastle visit the Emirates Stadium for the League Cup semi-final first leg.
Arteta hopes Germany striker Havertz can return to bolster his attacking options, while Sterling will be back “hopefully very soon”.
“I hope so, but I don’t want to say yes because last time I said he would be fit and he wasn’t fit,” Arteta said of Havertz.
Asked if Arsenal would make a move in the January transfer window to replace their walking wounded, Arteta demurred, adding: “Whatever is in the market, we’re very alert, but the priority is working with the players that we have at the moment.
“We have to sign players to really elevate and impact the team, otherwise just bringing in bodies doesn’t help us.”
Arteta’s only trophy as Arsenal boss was the 2020 FA Cup in his maiden season with the north London club.
Trailing six points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand, Arsenal may have to focus on the cups to end Arteta’s trophy drought.
Winning the League Cup would be a boost to Arsenal after they finished as runners-up to Manchester City in the Premier League for the last two seasons.
“We are in all the competitions. Obviously, in the league for a lot of circumstances, we are not where we want to be which is top, I understand that,” said Arteta. “These are challenges, these are situations that we are facing, and we are trying to do the very best to overcome them and still be a really good team.”
