News Images

Arsenal achieved major transfer U-turn as wonderkid’s exit 'was pretty much a given'

Originally posted on Caught Offside | By Mark Brus | Last updated 8/21/23

Arsenal reportedly worked miracles to keep Ethan Nwaneri at the club this summer despite it looking like “a given” that he would leave for either Chelsea or Manchester City.

That’s according to reliable Arsenal journalist Charles Watts on YouTube, with the reporter explaining that he spoke to a number of agents and sources who were convinced that the exciting young midfielder would be leaving the Gunners.

Watts said: “Arsenal have big plans for him, they really rate him, Mikel Arteta really rates him.

“They fought really hard to keep him because, for a long time, it was pretty much a given that he was leaving.

“Loads of agents I spoke to were absolutely convinced he was gone and he was going to sign for either Manchester City or Chelsea, but Arsenal managed to change his thinking.”

Nwaneri made history last season when he became the youngest player to ever appear in a Premier League game, coming on as a substitute in Arsenal’s win away to Brentford.

The 16-year-old is extremely highly regarded and it looks like a major coup for Arsenal to have kept hold of him when there was such a serious risk of him quitting to join one of their rivals.

Arsenal fans will be delighted with the work done here by Mikel Arteta and Edu, who also tied down stars like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba to new contracts in recent months.

This article first appeared on Caught Offside and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: