Young Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri has received praise from his England Under-21 teammates following their 4-2 victory over Portugal.
Nearly 15,000 supporters watched Nwaneri score on his full debut for the Three Lions Under-21 side at The Hawthorns. His curled effort which tucked into the bottom corner from the edge of the box was a late birthday gift for the Gunners ace who turned 18 on Friday.
The Englishman, born in 2007, is experiencing his breakthrough season under Mikel Arteta. His performances in the Premier League earned him a two-year jump from the under-19 squad to Lee Carsley's under-21's. Some had even speculated he might be picked by Thomas Tuchel, but Nwaneri will have to wait for that call up.
The jump in teams didn't faze Nwaneri at all as he put in a solid performance against Portugal, with his full-debut showing at West Brom's home ground garnering praise from his young teammates.
Jobe Bellingham, brother of Three Lions star Jude, showed his appreciation for Nwaneri as he posted a story on Instagram with a photo of him and the Gunner alongside the words: "My boy," followed with the heart-eyed emoji.
Jobe Bellingham
Jobe Bellingham is attracting interest from the Premier League (Image: Getty Images)
The post was reposted by Nwaneri who added the chain emoji, showing the strong connection between the players. The link within the team is clear to see as across the under-21's two games in the international break, they have scored seven goals. However, the squad have also conceded seven goals with five coming in their defeat to France on Friday.
Nwaneri's future looks set at Arsenal with the 18-year-old becoming a prominent of the first team. For Jobe on the other hand, his future is uncertain. Bellingham is enjoying his time in Sunderland, who he is contracted to until the end of the 2027/28 season, but many Premier League sides have their eyes on the midfielder.
The Gunners are said to be interested, but it's Todd Boehly's Chelsea who have been linked the most with Bellingham. The Sun had reported that Chelsea were one of three clubs looking at a summer move for the 19-year-old, but they'll have to compete with European giants Real Madrid and his brother Jude Bellingham's former team Borrusia Dortmund.