Mikel Arteta has now laid down a challenge to one Hale End academy starlet who is close to making a first-team breakthrough at Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta is keen to see one wonderkid step up at Arsenal.
The north London club have had a number of homegrown success stories in recent years. Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, and Reiss Nelson are all academy graduates who currently hold a place in Arteta’s first-team squad. Beyond that quartet, the Gunners were also able to recently fetch a decent fee for Folarin Balogun.
In Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal believe they have another future star on their hands. Arteta has already given the teenager a taste of first-team action.
Back in 2022, a then 15-year-old Nwaneri came off the bench late on against Brentford to become the youngest ever player in Arsenal and Premier League history. This, of course, created a huge amount excitement around the youngster.
However, the midfielder was not seen in action by Arsenal fans again at senior level until earlier this season, when he was afforded a run-out from the bench against West Ham United.
The 17-year-old has a huge future ahead of him. Nwaneri has been compared to Jack Wilshere in terms of his style of play, and has been in blistering form at youth level once again this season.
Mikel Arteta issues challenge to Ethan Nwaneri
Nwaneri recently committed his long-term future to Arsenal by signing his first professional contract with the club. In the wake of that landmark moment in the youngster’s nascent career, Arteta has now issued a challenge to the player.
The Spanish coach has urged Nwaneri to force his way into the first-team reckoning at the Emirates Stadium on a more permanent basis next season.
As quoted by The Standard, Arteta said, “I was really happy [for Nwaneri signing a professional contract]. He had a great day, he had all his family and important people around him.”
“A really proud moment to see another academy graduate signing his pro contract. He is very close to the first team. The opportunity is there, now he needs to take it.”
What is the plan for Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal?
It will be fascinating to see if Arteta hands Nwaneri any more first-team minutes in what remains of the current campaign, as Arsenal look to negotiate a highly-pressurised run-in to the Premier League title race.
One thing that certainly seems unlikely now is that Nwaneri will be loaned away from the club in the upcoming summer transfer window. Saka made a direct transition from the academy into the first-team, without the need for a temporary spell away from the club, and he is now a talismanic figure in north London.
It would appear that Arteta foresees Nwaneri following a similar trajectory to Saka.