Arsenal are set to face a fight to keep Ethan Nwaneri next March - despite signing a new two-year scholarship deal.
Nwaneri, aged 15 at the time, became the youngest-ever Premier League player last September when he came on for the final three minutes of the Gunners' 3-0 win over Brentford. Although the teenager hasn't featured for the first team since, he has been a regular in the club's Under 18s and Under 21s set up.
Last season, the talented midfielder scored seven times and provided five assists in the Under 18s Premier League, while also playing a huge role in Arsenal's run to the FA Youth Cup final. Nwaneri netted twice in five matches during the tournament as Jack Wilshere's side were beaten 5-1 by West Ham at the last hurdle.
Having impressed in the Arsenal academy, there had been talk surrounding his future with Chelsea and Manchester City amongst those linked with his signature. However, Nwaneri will be moving nowhere this summer after the Gunners confirmed he had penned fresh terms on a scholarship deal - alongside 12 other young stars.
Although Nwaneri will stay at the Gunners for the foreseeable future, he is yet to sign a professional contract and cannot do that until he turns 17 on March 21 2024. There is likely to be another battle for his services when he is able to pen professional terms, with several Premier League clubs interested.
As for Nwaneri's immediate future, he will be hoping to add to the three minutes he gained last season as the Gunners head into the 2023/24 campaign. He may also be dreaming to make his Champions League debut after Arteta's men finished second and qualified for Europe's elite club competition for the first time in six years.
The Gunners were superb in 2022/23 despite narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City. They pushed Pep Guardiola's side all the way, up until City thrashed the north Londoners 4-1 in late April as the reigning champions cruised away to top spot in the end.
Reflecting on Arsenal's season, Arteta told Marca: "To this day, it still hurts me deeply, not having won the Premier (League) after spending 10 months fighting with City. But that's the sport. That said, what has been achieved with such a young team is worthwhile. That is clear to me too."
Arteta, who took over at the Emirates Stadium in December 2019, continued: "This started (over) three years ago. I was Pep's assistant at City, we played against Arsenal and I saw that the soul of the club had been lost.
"It was not enjoyed, it was not felt. I knew that there was the option, shortly after, of being on the other bench and I knew that this club is so big that you had to connect the team with the fans. It has been hard to do, and now I feel happy."
