Arsenal at risk of losing record-breaker Ethan Nwaneri as rivals eye transfer swoop
Arsenal’s highly-talented 15-year-old midfielder, Ethan Nwaneri, who made history as the youngest player to debut in the Premier League during the team’s win against Brentford in September, is in danger of leaving the team as both Chelsea and Manchester City are interested in signing him.
While Arsenal’s coach,Mikel Arteta, and academy manager, Per Mertesacker, hold Nwaneri in high regard, the player has not yet agreed on a scholarship deal with the club.
Despite the admiration from the Arsenal staff, Nwaneri’s suitors are still keeping a close eye on his situation, and he may be tempted to join one of the Premier League’s top teams.
According to a recent report by The Telegraph, both Chelsea and Manchester City are keeping a close eye on Ethan Nwaneri’s progress and may show more concrete interest once he is old enough to agree to a scholarship deal.
Currently, the talented teenager is not able to sign a professional contract until he turns 17 years old.
Although Nwaneri has not appeared in another senior team game since his debut against Brentford, he has been a regular for Arsenal’s youth squads.
Despite interest from other teams, Arsenal remains hopeful that they can persuade Nwaneri to stay with them for the long term.
Arsenal has a proud tradition of giving their promising young players a chance to shine in the first team.
Bukayo Saka, who is a key player in Arsenal’s current title challenge, is a prime example of the club’s dedication to promoting youth players.
Ethan Nwaneri, who made history as the first player under 16 to feature in a Premier League game earlier this season, was praised by Mikel Arteta for his impressive performance.
The Spaniard said: “I met the boy and really liked what I saw. [Academy manager] Per Mertesacker and the academy staff gave me really good information about him as well.
“It’s another step, another experience. In your career all the steps are not going to be forward. After that, maybe he needs three backwards to go another one forward, but as well I think it sends a really strong message about who we are as a club.”
Losing Nwaneri, who is a youth international for England, to a Premier League rival would be a significant setback for Arsenal’s Hale End academy. This would come after the club lost promising forward Omari Hutchinson to Chelsea last year, which was a big blow for the academy.
Hutchinson, who is 19 years old, has already made two senior appearances for Chelsea since leaving Arsenal and recently earned his first cap for Jamaica’s national team.
Arsenal at risk of losing record-breaker Ethan Nwaneri as rivals eye transfer swoop