Arsenal are in danger of losing 15-year-old wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, with Chelsea and Manchester City circling for his signature.
According to Daily Telegraph, Chelsea and Manchester City are chasing Ethan Nwaneri. The 15-year-old wonderkid made history by becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in a Premier League game. And Arsenal are in danger of losing the prospect to their rivals.
Arsenal have come to the fore by developing some of the best talents in English football through their Hale End academy. Bukayo Saka, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, and Reiss Nelson are glowing examples of the progress, with each of those stars featuring in Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing team.
Others like Alex Iwobi and Joe Willock, who play for Everton and Newcastle United, also came through the Hale End system. Many others are in the pipeline, eager to break through, with Ethan Nwaneri’s name standing out prominently.
Nwaneri is a 15-year-old wonderkid from the Hale End academy who made history this season. Mikel Arteta introduced the attacking midfielder from the bench during Arsenal’s away win over Brentford earlier in the campaign. In doing so, he became the youngest player ever to play in the Premier League.
While he has not featured again in the top flight or come close to the Arsenal matchday squad, Nwaneri has come into the spotlight with other clubs. Chelsea reportedly want to sign Nwaneri from the Gunners to bolster their youth squad.
Todd Boehly continues to target young prospects, particularly from English clubs and South America. Nwaneri’s profile entices them, and they want to make another coup from Arsenal after bringing 19-year-old Omari Hutchinson last summer.
Nwaneri is not the only 15-year-old wonderkid they are keen on, with Birmingham City’s Trevan Sanusi also in their sights. Chelsea are likely to make their intentions clear with Nwaneri and then wait for the player to decide.
The Blues are not the only high-profile team keen on Nwaneri, with Manchester City also vying for his signature. The Premier League champions are developing plenty of their stars in the background and constantly keeping tabs on youngsters from other academies.
Since coming into the spotlight, Nwaneri has caught their eye among other clubs, with Manchester City likely to try and sign him. Meanwhile, Arsenal have not lost hope in keeping the 15-year-old wonderkid. Since Arteta gave him a debut, there could be chances for the youngster down the line. But he will have to agree on a scholarship deal before that.
English players cannot sign professional contracts until they are 17. At Arsenal, they usually offer their players structured deals with add-ons and incentives based on their rise and career progression. Their rivals could look to break this structure and offer lucrative terms to prise Nwaneri away.
