Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri has been called up to England’s pre-World Cup training camp after being selected to travel with Thomas Tuchel’s squad to the United States.
The teenager was not included in Tuchel’s final 26-man squad for the tournament, but he will still get the opportunity to train alongside the senior group ahead of England’s warm-up matches against New Zealand and Costa Rica next month.
Nwaneri joins Alex Scott, Rio Ngumoha and Josh King as part of a group of young players invited into the camp to help prepare the squad before the tournament begins.
England are scheduled to fly to Miami on June 1 before later relocating to Kansas for the World Cup.
The Arsenal academy graduate endured a frustrating second half of the season during his loan spell with Marseille, where regular opportunities became difficult to find after a bright start in France.
Nwaneri initially impressed after arriving in Ligue 1 during the winter transfer window and even scored shortly after making his debut.
However, changes behind the scenes and increased competition for places saw his involvement reduced significantly as the season progressed.
Despite that difficult spell, the 19-year-old remains highly regarded within England’s setup and this latest call-up represents another important sign of how highly he is rated for the future.
Tuchel confirmed on Friday that England intended to include several younger players in the camp to help maintain squad numbers, particularly with some senior stars unavailable immediately after club commitments.
Arsenal quartet Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke are all expected to join the England setup later following the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest.
Tuchel also praised the reaction of several young players who narrowly missed out on the final squad but still accepted invitations to participate in the training camp.
For Nwaneri, the trip offers an opportunity to train in a senior international environment and potentially earn minutes in England’s upcoming friendlies.
After a mixed few months away from North London, it also gives the Arsenal youngster the chance to finish the season involved in a high-level setup before attention turns towards his future next season.