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Ethan Nwaneri

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Ethan Nwaneri
Personal information
Full name Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri[1]
Date of birth (2007-03-21) 21 March 2007 (age 17)
Place of birth Enfield, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.76 m)[1]
Position(s) Attacking Midfielder[1]
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 53
Youth career
2015– Arsenal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022– Arsenal 8 (1)
International career‡
2022 England U16 6 (1)
2022–2024 England U17 28 (15)
2024– England U19 7 (6)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:24, 23 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:18, 17 November 2024 (UTC)

Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri (born 21 March 2007) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal.

Nwaneri made his Premier League debut against Brentford in September 2022, becoming the youngest ever Arsenal player, and the youngest player to appear in the top flight of English football aged just 15.[2][3]

Early life

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Ethan Chidiebere Nwaneri was born on 21 March 2007 in Enfield, London,[1] and attended St John's Senior School in Enfield.[4]

Club career

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Nwaneri joined Arsenal at eight years old. By the age of 14, he was already playing for their under-18 side. Predominantly, he plays as a midfielder.[5]

Nwaneri started the 2022–23 season playing for Arsenal under-18s, but he was quickly advanced to the club's under-21 side.[6] Having made a sole appearance in the 2022–23 Premier League 2, he joined the first team for training in September,[7] and made his first senior matchday squad on 18 September when he was named as a substitute for the Premier League match against Brentford.[8] Coming off the bench to replace Fábio Vieira in second-half stoppage time, he became the youngest player to ever appear in the Premier League at the age of 15 years and 181 days – breaking the record previously held by Harvey Elliott,[9][10] and the all-time English top-flight record held since August 1964 by former Sunderland goalkeeper Derek Forster, by three days.[3][11] He also became Arsenal's youngest-ever player in any competition, breaking the previous record of 16 years and 177 days, set by Cesc Fàbregas in the 2003–04 League Cup.[11][12] In the post-match press conference, manager Mikel Arteta explained that they had to name Nwaneri and two other under-21 players on the bench because the first team had several injuries, especially the injury of midfielder and captain Martin Ødegaard, and a "gut feeling" was behind his decision to send Nwaneri on.[8][13][4]

In June 2023, with his schoolboy terms ending, Nwaneri agreed to a new deal with Arsenal on scholarship terms with an agreement for a professional contract upon his seventeenth birthday on 21 March 2024.[14]

Nwaneri played as a substitute in the 2023–24 season in the Premier League in Arsenal's 6–0 win away against West Ham United, coming on in the 77th minute. In the post-match press conference, Arteta mentioned "the players on the bench whispering to bring Ethan on, which is a great thing to hear".[15]

On 25 September 2024, Nwaneri scored his first senior goals when he netted a brace against Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the EFL Cup, helping the Gunners to a 5–1 victory.[16] He scored an outside-the-box shot against Preston North End in the following round.[17] He scored his first goal in the Premier League on 23 November in Arsenal's 3-0 win home against Nottingham Forest after getting subbed on in the 82nd-minute.[18] This made him the ninth-youngest goalscorer in the league's history at 17 years, 247 days old.[19] Nwaneri has the 3rd most competitive goals for Arsenal before turning 18, ahead of past wonderkid Cesc Fabregas.

International career

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Nwaneri is eligible to represent Nigeria through his parents, but has chosen to represent England at the youth level.[20] After starring in qualifying, Nwaneri was named in the England squad for the 2023 UEFA European Under-17 Championship on 17 May 2023.[21] He scored the winner in the opening match against Croatia at Balmazújvárosi Városi Sportpálya.[22]

On 2 November 2023, Nwaneri was included in the England squad for the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[23] He scored his only goal of the tournament in their opening group game against New Caledonia in Jakarta.[24] Nwaneri also played in the other group fixtures against Iran and Brazil.[25][26] He came off the bench as a substitute during their round of sixteen defeat against Uzbekistan.[27]

On 20 May 2024, Nwaneri was included in the England squad for the 2024 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.[28] He once again scored in the opening game of the tournament, this time a 4–0 win over France in Larnaca.[29] Nwaneri also scored in a group stage victory over Spain.[30] His third and last goal of the competition came in their quarter-final elimination against Italy.[31]

Style of play

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Nwaneri has been labelled as a player who can operate as a "number 10" but can play every attacking position, with an innate capacity to receive and dribble with the ball at his feet while also contributing defensively. He is comfortable in both wide and central roles.[32]

Career statistics

[edit]
As of match played 23 November 2024[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal U21 2022–23[33] — — — — 2[a] 0 2 0
2023–24[34] — — — — 2[a] 0 2 0
Total — — — — 4 0 4 0
Arsenal 2022–23[33] Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
2023–24[34] Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2024–25[35] Premier League 6 1 0 0 2 3 1[b] 0 — 9 4
Total 8 1 0 0 2 3 1 0 0 0 11 4
Career total 8 1 0 0 2 3 1 0 4 0 15 4
  1. ^ a b Appearances in EFL Trophy
  2. ^ Appearance in UEFA Champions League

Honours

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Arsenal U21

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Ethan Nwaneri". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  2. ^ Ames, Nick (18 September 2022). "Arsenal return to top spot as Fábio Vieira strike seals win at Brentford". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b Jacob, Gary (18 September 2022). "Ethan Nwaneri: Arsenal's 15-year-old becomes youngest top-flight player". The Times. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  4. ^ a b Watts, Charles (18 September 2022). "Why did Arsenal give Nwaneri record-breaking debut? Arteta explains 'gut feeling'". goal.com. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  5. ^ "Ethan Nwaneri - 14yo turning heads at arsenal wows Arteta with wonder goal". owngoalnigeria.com. 5 May 2021.
  6. ^ Meyers, Billy (3 September 2022). "Journalist claims "Unbelievable" 15-year-old will join Arsenal Under-21 side for today's game". hitc.com. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  7. ^ "Mikel Arteta calls 15-year-old up to first-team training". dailycannon.com. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  8. ^ a b Johnston, Neil (18 September 2022). "Arsenal: Ethan Nwaneri, 15, becomes youngest Premier League player". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  9. ^ Wright, Nick (19 September 2022). "Brentford 0–3 Arsenal: Fabio Vieira scores first Gunners goal as Mikel Arteta's side go top again". Sky Sports. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  10. ^ Fordham, Josh (19 September 2022). "Arsenal's 15-year-old wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri smashes Liverpool star's Premier League record with debut against Brentford and wasn't born when Gunners reached Champions League final". Talksport. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  11. ^ a b James, Josh (20 September 2022). "Nwaneri enters the record books". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Arsenal's Ethan Nwaneri becomes youngest EPL player at 15". washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  13. ^ "Arteta on why he gave Ethan Nwaneri debut". Arsenal F.C. 18 September 2022. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
  14. ^ Ornstein, David (29 June 2023). "Arsenal prospect Ethan Nwaneri commits future to club". The Athletic. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  15. ^ "Every word from Mikel's post West Ham presser". Every word from Mikel's post West Ham presser. 17 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  16. ^ Wright, Stephen (25 September 2024). "Report: Arsenal 5–1 Bolton Wanderers". Arsenal F.C. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Report: Preston North End 0-3 Arsenal". Report: Preston North End 0-3 Arsenal. 30 October 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  18. ^ "17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scores his first Premier League goal".
  19. ^ Furniss, Matt (23 November 2024). "The Youngest Premier League Scorers". Opta Analyst. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  20. ^ Guerreiro, Adefolahan. ""He's a big talent" – Mikel Arteta praises Arsenal's Nigeria-eligible midfield gem". Soccernet. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  21. ^ Veevers, Nicholas (17 May 2023). "England MU17s squad named for EURO Finals". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  22. ^ Veevers, Nicholas (18 May 2023). "Report: Croatia 0–1 England MU17s". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  23. ^ Smith, Frank (2 November 2023). "England squad for the FIFA U-17 World Cup". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  24. ^ "England v New Caledonia". ESPN. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  25. ^ "England 2–1 Iran". ESPN. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  26. ^ "England 1–2 Brazil". ESPN. 17 November 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  27. ^ "England 1–2 Uzbekistan". ESPN. 22 November 2023. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  28. ^ Veevers, Nicholas (20 May 2024). "England MU17s squad named for EURO Finals". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  29. ^ Nottingham, Juliet (21 May 2024). "Report: England MU17 4–0 France". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
  30. ^ Gibson, Thomas (27 May 2024). "Report: England MU17s 3–1 Spain". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  31. ^ Gorrie, Jonathan (31 May 2024). "Ethan Nwaneri stunner not enough as England U17 beaten on penalties by Italy". Evening Standard. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  32. ^ Watts, Charles (18 September 2022). "Who is Ethan Nwaneri? The 15-year-old Arsenal wonderkid on the bench for Brentford clash". Goal.com. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
  33. ^ a b "Games played by Ethan Nwaneri in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  34. ^ a b "Games played by Ethan Nwaneri in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  35. ^ "Games played by Ethan Nwaneri in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  36. ^ Smith, Frank (25 April 2023). "Hammers beat Arsenal 5–1 in the 2022–23 FA Youth Cup final at Emirates Stadium". The Football Association. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
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