It’s been a good news week for Arsenal, and it continues with a report from David Ornstein regarding the future of highly-rated young midfielder, Ethan Nwaneri.
🚨 Ethan Nwaneri has committed future to Arsenal by signing scholarship terms + agreeing pro deal when turns 17. Major interest from other clubs but 16yo never wanted to leave – lifelong #AFC fan & Islington born/bred. Huge boost for Gunners @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/RJuw0qrJRK
— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 29, 2023
There had been concerns that the 16 year old might depart, with serious overtures from other Premier League clubs, including Chelsea and Man City.
However, they have now been allayed with a new contract which will see him offered professional terms when he turns 17 in March of next year.
Nwaneri became the youngest ever player to represent the club’s first team when he was introduced as a substitute against Brentford last season, aged 15 years and 181 days.
It was, perhaps, a demonstration of the club’s faith in his talent to ward off other clubs. At the time Mikel Arteta said, “It’s another step, an experience in your career. Not all the steps are going to be forward. After that, maybe he needs three backwards to go another one forward.
“But I think he deserves it and, as well, it sends a strong message about who we are as a club.”
This is another step forward for him, and his development will be keenly monitored by Arsenal fans.
Keep the good news rolling please 😊
Developing story:
All record of the Nayim goal from the 1995 Europa Cup final has been lost and officials say, as a result, it no longer stands. Elon Musk is currently working on a brain interface which will remove it from all football fans consciousness and replace it with a 120th minute Ian Wright volley and Tony Adams lifting the cup.
Also in the news : Samir Nasri has contracted knob rot.
What Nayim goal from the 1995 Europa Cup final?
I only remember Ian Wright hitting a 120th minute winner with a volley, to see us retain the cup.
It was a shame we couldn’t make it 3 in a row in 1996, but trying to beat the Monstars in the final that season was asking a lot.
Oh, Elon. Thy drugs are quick.
1995 was still the uefa cup and the cup winners cup methinks.
Champions league was the European cup.
I didn’t even realise I hadn’t put Cup Winners’ Cup. I blame Johnny 4 Hats (it’s not because for some reason I decided to copy and paste from his post).
It did make me chuckle when I read “Never wanted to leave. Lifelong AFC fan”.
Well played Ethan, well played.
He’s supported Arsenal since he was a kid.
Technically he’s never supported us as an adult
Yeah, I don’t doubt it. But obviously he didn’t tell Per or Edu he never wanted to leave as he was a diehard gooner. He used the interest from City and Chelsea as leverage and has probably bagged a great deal for him and his family. And that’s absolutely not a criticism. Fair play to him. Gotta play the game. But when Romano and the Orn are coming out and saying Ethan will probably leave, his team have obviously played the system really nicely. As a wider point, that does show that even the top journalists are liable to be… Read more »
Ha! I was thinking exactly the same thing. First and foremost, incredible news. Secondly, fair play. He had us all going with that one. I was worried we’d lose him and it’s little things like losing our brightest to Chelsea or City which send the wrong message. However, we have averted this sort of situation and he has probably sorted himself right out, so everyone’s a winner.
Johnny, it was a joke. Of course he supported Arsenal since he was a kid–he’s a kid now.
Haha!
Ah, yeah. Did not get that.
Noice.
To be fair, “he” as in Ethan himself wasn’t involved in any of the contract negotiations and shenanigans. That’s what you have an agent for. Ethan was definitely asked what he wanted, though and obviously he wanted to stay. But yeah, fair play to the agent for getting the best deal for his client.
Yep, agents do many things of importance including being overpaid for it.
Actually he did it all himself, but his mum helped him with the long words.
What a great week to be a gooner. Players choosing us over huge names like Bayern, City and Real Madrid. Exciting players committing their long term futures to us. Such a turn around, thank you Mikel!
Choosing us over Bayern? Please don’t tell me we bade for Harry the Cane!
Nah my friend, Cobra Kai ! Mikel’s pull is massive!
I had a dream where Harry saw out his contract at the toilet bowl, then did a Bosman to his boyhood club and broke the premier league goal record with us 🙂
We’re the Arsenal of course they should pick us over them. Also helps we’re the biggest club in the biggest and most cosmopolitan city in Europe.
Most cosmopolitan – probably, but biggest is Istanbul.
I haven’t seen much of this dude but I’m really glad and excited that he’s staying. I was disproportionately worried that he wasn’t going to for a while there. Is there a better place for a young player to be at the moment? The good times just keep rolling lately. Great time to be a gooner.
A shit team where you walk into the first team (but with an excellent coach)?
I’m not used to this alternate timeline!
Nwever in doubt
Let’s hope it proves to be our best signing of the summer.
We all know this lad is special and this is his home!
Ethan nwaneri, he is one of our own !
Shaping up to be the best summer window, I can ever remember with these renewals and new signings !
This might be the best transfer window in my history of following Arsenal. Not just signing quality players who raise the overall, but retaining our talent, and keeping our golden youth. So excited for next season and if the rumours are to be believed, more to come.
I imagine there will still be a couple of departures we won’t love, it will be a bummer to see Xhaka, Partey, Tierney and/or Balogun go, especially the latter 3, but if that’s a cost of getting top tier young talent I’m ready to accept it. But yeah, pretty incredible to see Arsenal behaving this way in a transfer window, getting top players and getting the deals done early for a change so they can come in and have a pre-season with us, and not leaving us worried about it until the deadline only to be disappointed when we’re once… Read more »
So someone has finally found out the the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
He needs to knuckle under and start delivering.
Pay attention, he has been delivering for awhile.
What a statement from our young starlet, proving that Arsenal’s the club to be in right now. 👏
With all those long discussions, I have the feeling that Ethan is represented by the same agency that works with Eddie, Bukayo and Flo Balogun.
I was thinking the same. Definitely a savvy agent.
No sane young footballer would turn down this purist and exciting project – especially for the shambles at Stamford Bridge or the tainted glamour at the Etihad.
Don’t know much about the lad but given the stature of the clubs who were after him he must have talent. Glad he will develop further with us.
If he improves 5 percent every year, he will be better than Messi by the time he is 25. That is science, my friends.
And you can call me Thomas Dolby because it has indeed blinded me.
Ethank you very fogging much Mikel, Edu, Per and everyone, you are doing God’s work.
LANS!
We have a quiver with several high quality youngsters pushing to get into the senior squad. We have a senior squad with a seemingly competitive yet really positive teamwork vibe being talked about across the league. We have a winning positive attacking style of play. We have enough $$ and structural support to be competitive at the highest levels. We have a stellar academy with well engrained Arsenal DNA pulsing through its veins. We have a manager who is a true leader, is as competitive as a cocaine crocodile, looks like a GQ model…and makes women damp. We have a… Read more »