The Making of Ethan Nwaneri: Arsenal’s Boy Wonder

It takes something special to become the youngest ever player at a club that has such a rich history of giving opportunities to talented prospects.

Yet that is what Ethan Nwaneri achieved when, aged just 15 years and 181 days, he featured as a substitute for Arsenal against Brentford in September 2022, in turn also becoming the youngest ever Premier League player.

Fast forward two years and after following a varied development programme, Nwaneri, who is still only 17, is ready to seize his opportunity and become a star for Arsenal, with the injury to captain Martin Odegaard likely to increase his chances of game time.

A humble, hard-working attacking midfielder, Nwaneri has also previously featured out wide or as a striker. Possessing superb close control and passing ability, he has excellent vision and also relishes going for goal himself. If there was one criticism of Nwaneri it is perhaps that he holds onto the ball for a little too long at times, but his all-round game is of a very high standard, including his defensive contributions.

Nwaneri officially signed for Arsenal as an Under 9 player in 2015, with Jack Wilshere one of those to welcome him to the club. Many years later Wilshere would go on to coach Nwaneri briefly, at Under 18 level.

Throughout his time at Arsenal’s renowned Hale End academy there was always a buzz around Nwaneri and fellow midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly. Both players frequently played above their age groups and it was clear that they appeared destined for big things.The pair have been close friends throughout their Arsenal journey and they both now find themselves very close to the first team.

The moment that first really catapulted Nwaneri into the spotlight came in May 2021, when he scored on his debut for Arsenal’s Under 18 team in a win against Reading at the age of just 14. Although it was a younger Arsenal side than usual that featured, Nwaneri still stood out as a player with precocious talent.

Ahead of the 2022-23 season Arsenal made the decision to fully integrate Nwaneri into the Under 18 squad, despite him still being on a schoolboy contract. He even surpassed those expectations, making his debut for the Under 21s shortly afterwards and then making history for the first team at Brentford.

During that campaign Nwaneri established himself as a key player in the Under 21 side, as well as helping the Under 18s reach the final of the FA Youth Cup.

What was always evident about Nwaneri was both his belief in his ability and his constant desire to improve, as he acknowledged how much hard work was required to achieve his ultimate aim of breaking through at Arsenal.

The club assigned Nwaneri a specialised development plan. They were eager to keep a lid on the hype surrounding him but also ensure that he continued to progress quickly. This entailed a mixture of training with the first team, featuring for the Under 21s and occasionally appearances for the Under 18s.

Nwaneri was linked with a move away from Arsenal last year as the time came for him to decide whether to stay and sign a scholarship and professional contract. There was strong interest from clubs including Chelsea and Liverpool but he rejected them and ended up signing his first professional contract when he turned 17 in March this year.

Towards the end of last season it was evident that Nwaneri had gone up another level in his development, as he regularly dominated Under 21 matches and was making key decisions even quicker than he was before.

Now, though, it has reached a point where even Mikel Arteta, a manager who tends to rely on a core group of senior players, cannot ignore the immense promise that Nwaneri is showing.

And Arteta is not the only senior figure impressed. After the youngster’s cameo off the bench in a 6-0 win at West Ham in February, Arteta admitted: ‘the players on the bench were whispering at me to bring Ethan on, which is a great thing to hear.’

There have been times in the early stages of the season where Arsenal’s play has been a little lacking in terms of dynamism, particularly with the injury to chief orchestrator Odegaard. But Nwaneri will be a boost in that regard and it is anticipated that he will benefit hugely from playing alongside senior players with whom he will be on a similar wavelength.

It should also be noted that Nwaneri is strong physically for his age and he showed during his recent cameo appearance off the bench in the north London derby that he isn’t afraid of making challenges, even when up against far older opponents.

Although his promotion to the first team has yet to be officially confirmed, Nwaneri is now very heavily involved with the senior squad, to the extent that he has yet to play for the Under 21s this season.

Since becoming involved with the first team, Nwaneri has developed a close bond with Bukayo Saka, who is the perfect inspiration following his own journey from Hale End to the big stage. Saka’s focus and level-headedness is an example to many young players and Nwaneri possesses similar traits.

Arsenal have produced the likes of Tony Adams, David Rocastle, Jack Wilshere and Ashley Cole, with Nwaneri aiming to also become a huge success. There is a long way to go but insiders at the club hope that he can go on to enjoy a lengthy, successful career at the club.

While the trip to champions Manchester City on Sunday may be a step too far for a first professional start, Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third round tie at home to Bolton Wanderers seems like the perfect opportunity for Nwaneri to showcase his credentials.

Should he impress on that occasion then further opportunities could follow, especially while Odegaard remains sidelined.

On the international front, Nwaneri has made encouraging progress too, which has encompassed him playing and scoring for England at Under 16, Under 17 and Under 19 levels. Should he continue to take strides forward at Arsenal, it is anticipated that further international recognition will follow.

Off the pitch, Nwaneri is known to be very respectful to others and has often taken time to interact with fans after Under 21 matches. Despite his vast potential he remains grounded and doesn’t seem likely to get carried away by the increased attention surrounding him.

An example of his lack of ego is that Nwaneri still refers to himself on Instagram as an ‘Arsenal U18’ player, even though in reality he has long surpassed that level.

Over the last couple of years Nwaneri has gradually improved his all-round game and has inched ever closer to the first-team squad. Now is the time for him to be given a sustained opportunity to impress and show exactly what he is capable of.