‘Mikel Arteta really rates him’: Journalist says agents told him Arsenal star was joining Chelsea

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Charles Watts says ‘it was a given’ that Ethan Nwaneri was going to leave Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal to join either Chelsea or Manchester City. 

Last season, Ethan Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history when he came onto the pitch at the age of 15 years and 181 days against Brentford.

That put a huge spotlight on the now-16-year-old, with Arsenal expert Watts adding that ‘loads of agents’ told him that he was going to leave for London rivals Chelsea, or even possibly, Pep Guardiola’s side, as he told his own YouTube channel.

The Premier League title contenders managed to tie him down to a new deal, with the option of a professional contract when he turns 17.

Most recently, he struck a hat-trick for the U21s as they beat Leicester 4-1, which just put the club’s young gun even further into the spotlight.

Watts spoke about how the attack-minded midfielder is someone who Mikel Arteta ‘rates highly’. 

“Ethan Nwaneri, a player Arsenal fought hard to keep this summer,” said Watts. “They managed to keep him. Managed to get him to agree to a new deal with a professional contract further down the line once he turns 17 and he will sign that.

“That will be great news for Arsenal because he showed for the U21s exactly why scoring a hat-trick at 16, not a bad achievement that, as Arsenal blew Leicester away. 

“I think Nwaneri’s development this season is going to be really interesting. Arsenal have big plans for him. They really rate him. Mikel Arteta really rates him, threw him on as a 15-year-old last season, and that says it all. 

“As I said, they fought really hard to keep him because for a long time, it was pretty much a given that he was leaving. Loads of agents that I spoke to were absolutely convinced that he was gone and he was going to sign for either Manchester City or Chelsea.  

“But Arsneal managed to change his thinking, get his back to focus on Arsneal and get this deal done.”

Arsenal’s Hale-End academy

Given that someone like Bukayo Saka has come through the Hale-End academy and started to showcase that he is one of the best wingers in the Premier League, then it does put more expectations on Nwaneri’s shoulders.

Arsenal’s academy is proving to be one of the best in the country because, on top of Saka, there is also Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah.

Not forgetting that Folarin Balogun, who scored 21 goals in France’s top-tier last season, and now he is being linked with a big-money transfer away from the club.