Ethan Nwaneri turned the youngest participant in Premier League historical past on Sunday as he took to the sector in Arsenal’s 3-0 victory over Brentford.
Aged simply 15 years and 181 days, Nwaneri shattered the earlier file set by Harvey Elliott earlier than he joined Liverpool from Fulham, cementing a spot within the historical past books and sealing a file which shall be extremely tough to interrupt.
This is all you should know concerning the younger starlet.
Think about making your #AFCU18 debut…
At simply 14 years of age…
And scoring a purpose like this! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/b3lVYdkMCs
— Arsenal Academy (@ArsenalAcademy) Could 5, 2021
Nwaneri isn’t any stranger to enjoying above his age group. He made his Beneath-18 debut as a 14-year-old in Could 2021 and stole the present with an unbelievable strike from vary.
Such was his high quality that Nwaneri was promoted to Arsenal’s Beneath-21 setup this yr. He made his debut 5 video games into the 2022/23 Premier League 2 season, bagging an help towards gamers six years his senior.
Schoolboys enjoying for Arsenal’s reserve facet are few and much between, with Nwaneri following the likes of Tony Adams and David O’Leary in doing so.
Arsenal have lengthy been conscious of his high quality and his instant impression at U21 stage noticed Nwaneri handed his maiden Premier League outing towards Brentford.
The sort out. The help. The end.#AFCU18 pic.twitter.com/cnKt6LErR5
— Arsenal Academy (@ArsenalAcademy) August 29, 2022
Comparisons have been made between Nwaneri and a younger Jack Wilshere, whose emergence as an elite playmaker was one of the thrilling developments from the Arsenal academy in current reminiscence.
Whereas he is extra attack-minded than the Gunners’ present Beneath-18 boss, Nwaneri’s bread and butter is his creativity, as you possibly can see along with his luxurious help towards Tottenham within the video above.
His fast toes and skill to dictate the tempo of a recreation made up of gamers with considerably extra expertise than him has earned Nwaneri some rave evaluations.
Nwaneri is much from good however most who’ve watched him play will admit that almost all of his weaknesses come from his age and inexperience.
Nonetheless with the slender body that comes with youth, Nwaneri can get bullied by bodily superior defenders, however he has discovered to make use of his pace and fast footwork to get by.
Attributable to his age, Nwaneri can’t agree the phrases {of professional} contract till 2023 and will depart Arsenal at any level – much like Chelsea’s lack of Jamal Musiala to Bayern Munich.
Chelsea are among the many sides eager on Nwaneri, having tracked him alongside Manchester United for years, whereas Liverpool and Manchester Metropolis have each taken a eager curiosity in his improvement.
It is because of this that Mikel Arteta’s determination to provide Nwaneri a first-team alternative might be so essential. The Gunners have a yr to do all the pieces they’ll to persuade {the teenager} to remain.
Eligible for Nigeria via his mother and father, Nwaneri has to date spent his time representing England at youth stage.
He made his debut for the Beneath-16s in February 2022 after which the Beneath-17s in August, and is held in very excessive regard by these concerned with the Three Lions.
