Ethan Nwaneri 'so capable' of new Arsenal role as he faces up to fresh challenge when Martin Odegaard returns

As the Arsenal players headed implicit to their fans astatine Deepdale pursuing their comfy triumph astatine Preston, 1 sanction was chanted implicit and implicit again.

“He’s 1 of our own, he’s 1 of our own, Ethan Nwaneri, he’s 1 of our own,” sang the 5,600 distant supporters, whose reward for travelling to Preston connected a bedewed Wednesday nighttime was a dazzling show from the 17-year-old.

Academy manager Per Mertesacker, who had made the travel up to watch, could not defy grabbing his telephone astatine the full-time whistle and capturing the infinitesimal by filming it.

Youth coaches person ever thought Nwaneri was destined for the apical and, during his archetypal week arsenic Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta called the past Under-16 caput manager Dan Micciche to his bureau to sermon the midfielder.

Nwaneri was lone 12 then, but helium is rapidly blossoming into a genuine enactment successful Arteta’s first-team squad.

Arsenal showed their religion successful the teen this summertime by selling Emile Smith Rowe to Fulham and allowing Fabio Vieira to articulation Porto connected loan. The content was Nwaneri could instrumentality their minutes and, truthful far, helium has seized the opportunity.

His stunning extremity successful the 3-0 triumph astatine Preston added to his 2 successful the past circular of the Carabao Cup meant helium became the youngest subordinate successful Arsenal past to people successful their archetypal 2 starts for the club.

The fearfulness for Nwaneri now, though, volition beryllium that those chances to radiance could diminish fixed that Martin Odegaard is closing successful connected a return

The Arsenal skipper is hoping to beryllium backmost for adjacent week’s Champions League travel to Inter Milan aft astir 2 months retired with an ankle injury.

That is simply a stroke for Nwaneri, whose minutes this play person travel erstwhile playing successful the close No8 relation usually occupied by Odegaard. He volition present person to accommodate and beryllium comfy getting chances anyplace crossed Arsenal’s attacking unit.

It is simply a way young players person trodden before, astir notably astatine Manchester City by Phil Foden, who Gabriel Jesus referenced erstwhile discussing Nwaneri aft the Preston win.

Foden often plays connected the close now, but helium is comfy operating connected the left, arsenic a No10 oregon adjacent arsenic a mendacious nine, if required.

He’s a large talent, he’s got the close cognition ... we request to marque definite that we enactment ceramic by ceramic successful the close order, but we person immoderate subordinate here.

Mikel Arteta connected Ethan Nwaneri

Nwaneri views his champion presumption arsenic a No10 oregon No8, which is simply a content shared by coaches, but successful the hunt for much minutes helium whitethorn get shifted around.

“In a 4-2-3-1, helium played arsenic a No10, successful betwixt the lines, creating and scoring goals,” Micciche, who coached Arsenal astatine younker level, tells Standard Sport.

“In the strategy that Arsenal play with a azygous pivot and the 2 No8s, it (his champion position) would astir apt beryllium wherever Odegaard plays, arsenic the close No8 truthful helium tin chopped in.

“If helium ever played arsenic No9 it was arsenic a mendacious nine, helium could driblet successful and nexus the play due to the fact that helium had specified a bully changeable from extracurricular the container arsenic well. He was ne'er asked to tally channels and tally successful behind.

“Ethan has ever been an attacking player, mostly centrally, but helium is truthful susceptible of receiving the shot successful antithetic areas of the transportation - right, left, middle.”

Arteta and Arsenal volition surely beryllium assured that Nwaneri tin beryllium moved astir the pitch.

He played arsenic a near No8 against Manchester United successful pre-season and adjacent assisted a extremity for Jesus.

Nwaneri has slotted seamlessly into the first-team environment. He is not the loudest, arsenic was the lawsuit erstwhile helium was successful the academy, but determination is simply a quiescent assurance astir him.

“I deliberation sometimes radical tin misunderstand assurance with arrogance,” says Micciche.

The Arsenal squad person been truthful impressed with Nwaneri that during a resounding triumph astatine West Ham past season, they were whispering successful Arteta’s receptor to springiness the teen minutes.

Arteta assured Nwaneri tin grip the spotlight connected him. A boyhood Arsenal fan, helium rejected lucrative offers from elsewhere to motion his archetypal nonrecreational declaration this year.

Nwaneri’s household person ever worked to guarantee helium stays humble and grounded. Indeed, adjacent aft making his debut arsenic a 15-year-old astatine Brentford 2 years ago, helium handed successful his homework astatine St John’s School successful Enfield the pursuing day.

“He’s a large talent, he’s got the close attitude,” said Arteta. “He’s got the close players and discourse astir him and we request to marque definite that we enactment ceramic by ceramic successful the close order, but we person immoderate subordinate here.

“So overmuch property there, helium wants each ball, helium wants to marque things happen. His enactment ethic is tremendous and helium loves what helium does, you tin archer that.”