Arsenal - Mikel Arteta
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Arsenal are increasingly optimistic of securing academy prodigy Ethan Nwaneri to a new long-term contract, according to The Athletic. The club believe the 18-year-old midfielder is set to put pen to paper in the coming days, ending speculation over his future and fending off mounting interest from Premier League rivals.
Nwaneri shot to fame in September 2022 when he became the Premier League’s youngest-ever debutant at just 15 years and 181 days. Since then, he has blossomed into one of the brightest young talents in English football, enjoying a breakout 2024/25 campaign with 37 appearances across all competitions, nine goals, and two assists. Standout moments included a Champions League strike against Girona and a memorable goal versus Manchester City, performances that earned him a PFA Young Player of the Year nomination.
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While his current deal, signed in March 2024, runs until summer 2026, recent delays in contract negotiations raised concern among Arsenal fans. The uncertainty sparked interest from Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City, with Chelsea even making a direct approach during talks over Noni Madueke’s potential move to north London.
Ethan Nwaneri
Ethan Nwaneri (Image credit: Getty Images)
However, Nwaneri has remained loyal to his boyhood club. Talks have recently progressed, and Arsenal are now confident of finalising an agreement. “Chelsea are also now monitoring Ethan Nwaneri’s situation at Arsenal,” reportedThe Athletic’s Simon Johnson. “They tried to sign him before he signed his previous deal in 2023… but Arsenal are optimistic that an agreement will be reached.”
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A key factor in the delay was Nwaneri’s desire for clarity on his role in the first team, especially as Arsenal pursue attacking reinforcements such as Madueke and Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. Additionally, FA regulations prevented the club from offering a deal longer than three years before his 18th birthday in March 2025.
Manager Mikel Arteta has taken a hands-on approach to Nwaneri’s development, gradually integrating him into senior football. Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown expressed confidence that the youngster would commit to the Gunners. “He’s an intelligent boy. He will eventually sign for Arsenal, there is no doubt about it,” Keown told talkSPORT, lauding Arteta’s record with young stars like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
Having joined the club’s Hale End academy at just eight years old, Nwaneri is seen as a cornerstone of Arsenal’s long-term homegrown vision. The new deal is expected to make him one of the highest-paid teenagers in English football, a clear sign of his growing importance at the Emirates.
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