Arsenal have been described as “increasingly confident” of securing the long-term future of teenage record-breaker Ethan Nwaneri.
It follows recent uncertainty over the young winger’s future and even suggestions that Premier League rivals Chelsea could try to take advantage with an opportunistic swoop.
Nwaneri’s contract is due to expire next summer and his camp was reported to have asked for certain guarantees during what were described as “delicate” negotiations.
But any frostiness later appeared to be thawing and the Daily Mail now reports that Arsenal are ready to present a five-year contract or a four-year deal with the option of an extra year. There isn’t thought to be any breakthrough just yet, but sporting director Andrea Berta is “positive,” while a desire to find “common ground” exists on both sides of the negotiating table.
Nwaneri has been with Arsenal since the age of eight, more than half his life. He debuted for the club’s Under-18 team aged 14 and made his first-team bow only a year later.
That appearance against Brentford in in September 2022, aged 15 years and 181 days, made him not only Arsenal’s youngest ever player, but the youngest player ever to feature in top flight English football. The latter had stood for 58 years since 1964, while he lowered the Arsenal record by almost a full year from the previous mark set by Cesc Fàbregas at 16 years and 177 days from 2003.
Nwaneri, now 18, enjoyed a breakout season in 2024-25, playing 37 times across all competitions and registering 11 combined goals and assists.
A prolonged run in the starting lineup in the early months of 2025 came about primarily as injury cover for Bukayo Saka. And while those chances dried up in the final weeks of the campaign when Saka returned to fitness, Nwaneri will still have a significant role to play next season.
