Arsenal face battle behind scenes as Arteta sweating with deadline approaching

Arsenal are fighting to keep hold of 16-year-old wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri with Manchester City and Chelsea hoping to tempt him away from the Emirates this summer, according to reports. Nwaneri’s contract expires at the end of June with his schoolboy registration running out on July 1, meaning he will be free to spread his wings thereafter.

The Evening Standard claim that Arsenal have made an ‘attractive offer’ to Nwaneri with academy manager Per Mertesacker, first team head coach Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu all involved in trying to convince the midfielder to stay.

Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history last season when he starred against Brentford back in September 2022. The England youth international came on to replace Fabio Vieria in stoppage time breaking Harvey Elliot’s record in the process.

Elliot was 16 years and 30 days old when he made his league debut for Fulham against Wolves back in 2019 while Nwaneri was 15 years and 181 days old at the time of his maiden Premier League appearance.

“It was a feeling that I had yesterday, I don’t know why,” Arteta said when speaking about his decision to give Nwaneri a Premier League debut.

“The first day I met him I looked him in his eyes and everyone was telling me about him, Per was telling me about him, and because of the injuries we only have 12 or 13 senior players yesterday to put in the squad and we decided to bring him, and that’s it. 

“It’s one step, one experience, so enjoy it and congratulations! It’s just one step and all the steps in your career are not forward and you have to know that. You can go forward then backwards and then forwards. You fall, you go back – that’s, unfortunately, this industry and the football career of any player.”

Chelsea and Manchester City are said to be monitoring Nwaneri’s situation as he nears the end of his contract and are ready to pounce if he cannot come to an agreement with Arsenal. If he does choose to move elsewhere, Arsenal would be due compensation at a tribunal hearing because Nwaneri was developed at Hale End and has played for the first team.