starlet Ethan Nwaneri is keen to commit his long-term future to the club and is expected to sign a new contract next year when he turns 18 in March, talkSPORT has revealed.
The Gunners are hopeful of tying the teenage prodigy to a new agreement in the new year, following his impressive start to the 2024/25 season under Mikel Arteta.
The Premier League giants have reportedly been in talks with the teenager for a while, with both parties keen to reach an agreement soon.
Nwaneri made his third appearance of the season on Saturday, coming on as a substitute in the 4-2 win over Leicester, replacing Thomas Partey as Arsenal searched for a winner in the nerve-wracking clash at the Emirates.
The 17-year-old was given a full 90 minutes in the 5-1 rout of Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup earlier this month and repaid Arteta’s trust with two goals against the League One side.
Nwaneri is highly rated at the club, and Arsenal are likely to reflect his growing value to the first-team squad with an improved contract in 2025.
Nwaneri, who joined Arsenal in 2015, developed through the club’s youth academy and has been a vital player in all age categories, scoring 27 goals and registering 10 assists across all competitions.
The 17-year-old made history in September 2022, when, aged 15 years and 181 days, he became the youngest player ever to feature in an English top-flight match during Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Brentford.
The exciting starlet, who was praised as ‘exceptional’, signed his first professional contract with Arsenal in March this year, but he is now tipped to sign an improved deal in 2025, with talkSPORT reporting that conversations between both parties are ‘well underway’ to secure his long-term future at the club.
According to GIVEMESPORT sources, Arsenal have ‘no intention’ of allowing Nwaneri to leave on loan when the transfer window reopens in January and are preparing to issue a hands-off warning to any interested clubs.
The Gunners reportedly fended off interest from the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City to keep the midfielder at the club earlier this year.
