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Analysis
- 36 minutes ago
Arsenal confirm wonderkid's transfer plans with Premier League circling
News
The playing time — or lack thereof — that Ethan Nwaneri has received this season has been a big talking point.
After scoring nine goals and providing two assists across 37 appearances in all competition in 2024/25, Nwaneri has scored one goal in 12 appearances this season.
Despite his lack of time on the pitch, Arsenal confirmed their stance on his immediate future and will not loan him out, according to Football.London.
Current ETV
Ethan Nwaneri
M (C), F (R)
Arsenal
Ethan Nwaneri
M (C), F (R)
Arsenal
ETV Range
€53.8M - €65.7M
This news comes off the back of a report that the player himself turned down a loan move to Bournemouth.
Where Nwaneri stands at Arsenal
The signings of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke mean that Nwaneri is third choice at right wing and in central midfield.
Nwaneri proved last season that he can make an impact in the Premier League, but Arsenal nonetheless decided to level up their title challenge by signing Eze for €69.3m and Madueke for €56m in the summer window.
That by no means indicated Nwaneri is out of favour at Arsenal.
The English wonderkid will turn 19 in March. He is nine years younger than Eze and five years younger than Madueke.
STATS
Ethan Nwaneri
M (C), F (R)
Arsenal
Ethan Nwaneri
M (C), F (R)
Arsenal
Instead, it seems that Arsenal want to ease Nwaneri into professional football instead of throwing him into the fire only to see him get injured, which has happened to many other young players at big clubs.
Barcelona provides the perfect warning.
Then-wonderkid midfielder Pedri suffered two hamstring injuries in 2022 that kept him out for 36 matches. Gavi suffered a cruciate ligament tear that kept him out for 10 months in 2024, and he has been unavailable since August after undergoing surgery on a meniscus injury.
While fans might not see as much Nwaneri as they’d like this season, this approach will probably benefit him in the long run.
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