Arsenal - Ethan Nwaneri
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Arsenal haveconfirmed that teenage sensation Ethan Nwaneri has signed a new five-year contract, keeping him at the Emirates Stadium until 2030.
The deal, announced on the club’s official website, ends months of speculation over the 18-year-old’s future and is considered a major coup for the Gunners, who beat off strong interest from Premier League rivals and top European clubs.
A product of Arsenal’s famed Hale End Academy, Nwaneri enjoyed a breakthrough 2024/25 season, making 37 appearances including 16 starts and scoring nine goals in all competitions. His standout moments included a stunning long-range strike in a 5-1 win over Manchester City, a Champions League Goal of the Month against Girona, and becoming the third-youngest scorer in a Champions League knockout match, behind only Jude Bellingham and Bojan.
Speaking after signing the contract, the England Under-21 international said: “Signing this contract means everything to me. I’m very excited. I see this as my first real season in men’s senior football, as part of a proper squad in the changing room.”
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Talks over the new deal began in earnest after Nwaneri turned 18 in March 2025, in line with FA regulations on contract lengths for players under 18. Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, and Borussia Dortmund had all been linked with a move, but sources close to the negotiations insisted his priority was always to remain at his boyhood club.
The future’s bright ✍️ pic.twitter.com/c22SpXEomW
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) August 8, 2025
The contract is reportedly worth £60,000 per week, placing Nwaneri among the Premier League’s highest-paid teenagers and underlining his growing status within Mikel Arteta’s plans. It follows a similar long-term extension for fellow Hale End graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly, reflecting Arsenal’s determination to build their future around homegrown talent.
Renowned for his versatility, Nwaneri filled in on the right wing last season during Bukayo Saka’s injury absence, but Arteta plans to use him more centrally in the coming campaign as competition and cover for captain Martin Odegaard. The recent arrival of Noni Madueke from Chelsea to strengthen the right flank paves the way for Nwaneri to focus on his preferred playmaking role.
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Sporting director Andrea Berta has overseen a busy summer at the Emirates, with Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Martin Zubimendi among the high-profile arrivals. Yet, many within the club view Nwaneri’s contract extension as equally significant.
Journalist Charles Watts hailed it as “brilliant news for Arsenal,” confirming the deal runs for a full five years rather than the initially reported four with an option.
Nwaneri made headlines in 2022 when he became the youngest player in Premier League history at 15 years and 181 days, making a brief debut against Brentford. Since then, his rapid rise has included helping England win back-to-back Under-21 European Championships.
With his future now secured, Nwaneri will look to build on his breakout campaign and cement himself as one of Arsenal’s central figures in the seasons to come.
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