Arsenal have officially confirmed an attacker has signed at the Emirates, and Chelsea’s audacious play to steal a deal has come to nothing.
The Gunners have spared no expense in the transfer market this summer in an effort to finally end their 20-plus year wait for a Premier League title.
Multiple areas of the pitch have been addressed, though two of the three biggest arrivals came in the forward line.
Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres both signed on the dotted line. Madueke’s versatility allows him to operate on either flank.
Back when Arsenal were still negotiating with Chelsea for Madueke, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealed the Blues had made an audacious enquiry for Ethan Nwaneri.
The Arsenal youngster enjoyed a breakthrough season last term, notching nine goals across all competitions. He’s among the finest talents Arsenal have produced in recent times, though his future was under a cloud.
The teenager only had one year remaining on his contract, and per talkSPORT, Arsenal were handed an ‘ultimatum’ by the player and his camp.
It was claimed Nwaneri would NOT sign an extension in north London unless he was given assurances over his game-time. Arsenal then went on to sign Madueke, thus placing another barrier between Nwaneri and regular starts.
“Chelsea in the last 24 hours have enquired for Ethan Nwaneri,” stated Fabrizio Romano on his YouTube channel one month ago.
“Arsenal and Chelsea are going to speak about Madueke in the next hours and days… this is a separate story about Nwaneri.
“But what I can tell you is Chelsea have enquired, something like ‘if there are problems over his game-time and contract at Arsenal’, Chelsea will be ready to make a proposal for Nwaneri.
“So Chelsea have positioned themselves, telling people close to the player and telling also those who are well informed on this story that they’ll be ready to attack for Nwaneri.
“Chelsea will be there but the ball is still in Arsenal’s court. Arsenal have the chance to extend his contract, the conversation is advanced, the player obviously loves the club, but now it’s about game-time, guarantees, project and vision to get this agreement done.”
Arsenal send Chelsea packing
Chelsea had visions of completing a similar deal to the one that took Cole Palmer from Manchester City.
Palmer chose to leave City due to a lack of opportunities in the first-team and the 23-year-old has gone on to become Chelsea’s best player and one of the finest in world football.
Thankfully for those of an Arsenal persuasion, the Gunners have not rolled the dice with Nwaneri like City did with Palmer.
The club officially announced on Friday afternoon that Nwaneri has penned a new, long-term contract with the Gunners.
‘Ethan Nwaneri has signed a new long-term contract with the club,” the official statement began.
It continued: ‘Our highly talented attacking midfielder, who has been with us since the age of eight, has committed his future to the club following his impressive rise through our Hale End Academy and into the first-team.’
Reporters Fabrizio Romano and Ben Jacobs subsequently stated the new contract is a five-year deal.
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