Arteta’s influence, Odegaard’s inspiration
Nwaneri was formed during those years, splitting his time between school and Arsenal’s academy, where his 15-year-old brother Emerson also attends, but Arteta’s role in his rise to fame has also been significant.
While he claimed the decision to hand Nwaneri his Premier League bow at the age of 15 in 2022 was down to “gut instinct” at the time, it was actually more calculated to show the club’s most prodigiously talented young player a path to the first-team.
Mikel Arteta first asked for information on Ethan Nwaneri when he was just 12 years old
Mikel Arteta first asked for information on Ethan Nwaneri when he was just 12 years old
After all, Arteta had been aware of Nwaneri’s talents since his first week in the job three years ago, when he sought out Mikiche, one of his coaches at the time, to ask him about the 12-year-old Hale player. That’s it, and ask them to send him a video.
Arteta has closely followed his progress since then and has been actively involved in the club’s efforts to secure his future at the club, sitting in on meetings with Nwaneri’s family along with Edu, Arsenal’s now-departed sporting director and academy staff.
“Keeping Ethan wasn’t a foregone conclusion,” Mikiche says. “I don’t mean he threatened to leave or anything, I mean it was known that this guy was special, he could go anywhere in Europe. :
“Obviously the other big clubs in England were well aware of him because Arsenal never hid him and he always performed well against them. It helped that Mikel was so involved as well as training with the first team very early on and take him in. preseason tours.”
Nwaneri eventually made his commitment to Arsenal official, despite interest from elsewhere, signing his first professional contract since the age of 17.th birthday in March and soon became a full member of the senior squad.
Arteta admired his courage and personality. “You can tell he plays without pressure and with confidence,” he said earlier this season, but there has also been a focus on improving his defensive work and his understanding of the complexities the Spaniard’s system demands.
Nwaner has carried out the task with characteristic gusto, helped by the fact that he sees club captain Martin Odegaard as a role model and mentor At 15, has been invaluable.
“You have to remember that Ethan is obsessed with football,” says Michiche. “He’s always learned a lot by watching his role models, and that’s accelerated by training with the first team every day.”
Nwaneri’s future now looks brighter with every appearance, and he almost followed up his first Premier League goal with a Champions League goal in his last appearance against Sporting on Tuesday night.
His rapid progress is no surprise to his former coaches.
“I was lucky enough to coach Phil Foden, Jadon Sancho and Cole Palmer in the England youth teams,” says Michiche. “For me, Etan is at that level.
“When he was 13 or 14, I would have told people at Arsenal he was at the level of those players, if not more advanced.”
The comparison with Foden is particularly interesting given that at 17, Nwaneri has already made more Premier League appearances than the Manchester City striker did at 18.
He has overtaken academy graduate Bukayo Sakai in appearances at the same age, which is all the more impressive given the level at which Arsenal are currently competing.
Ethan Nwaneri talks to academy graduate Bukayo Saka
Ethan Nwaneri talks to academy graduate Bukayo Saka
When Saka came in, they were wiping out the top 4. It’s much harder for a young player to make his mark on a team fighting for major honors, but that’s exactly what Nwaneri is doing.
“At the age he’s playing at a big club like Arsenal, being on the pitch and having an impact, there’s no doubt Ethan has the opportunity to become a regular starter and key player in the mold of Bukayo,” he said. Mikishe: “He has all the attributes and, as you can see, nothing bothers him.
“What I love most about him is that his feet do the talking for him. He’s very humble, very focused, and an absolute pleasure to work with.”
And this is just the beginning, Ethan Nwaneri Next.
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