Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has opened up about the exciting prospect of giving rising star Ethan Nwaneri more game time, admitting he’s “always tempted” to start the teenager.
The young Nigerian, who has already made Premier League history, continues to impress with his fearless performances, but Arteta wants a calculated approach to see whether the youngster is ready for a more prominent role in the squad, Footballrover reports.
The 17-year-old forward added another chapter to his growing legend during Arsenal’s commanding 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium.
Introduced late in the game, Nwaneri wasted no time, netting a goal just four minutes after stepping onto the pitch to replace Martin Ødegaard.
Arteta on Ethan Nwaneri: A step-by-step approach
This decisive strike came after goals from Bukayo Saka, who opened the scoring in the 15th minute, and Thomas Partey, who doubled Arsenal’s lead shortly into the second half.
The Emirates faithful erupted as Nwaneri sealed the victory in style, showing his knack for delivering in high-pressure moments.
Nwaneri’s statistics continue to impress, with the teenager scoring four goals across nine appearances this season.
Averaging just 19 minutes per game, he has made the most of every opportunity on the pitch.
After the Nottingham Forest match, Arteta spoke openly about the youngster’s development.
Praising his fearless style of play, the Arsenal boss described how Nwaneri immediately made an impact in a crucial moment, running at defenders and coming close to adding another to his tally.
Arteta likened the process of nurturing the teenager’s talent to building a strong foundation, brick by brick.
He emphasised the need for patience, stressing that while Nwaneri’s potential is obvious, the path to sustained success requires careful management of his expectations and workload.
Acknowledging the mounting excitement around Nwaneri, Arteta assured fans that his decisions are rooted in ensuring the player’s long-term growth.
“I am always tempted (to play him). I think he’s the second-youngest player for the club to score in the Premier League. It’s giving us all the reason, and today is another reason to put him there, but that’s when I play him and not somebody else. It’s step-by-step, I would say,” Arteta said.
While speaking on how to manage expectations of Ethan, Arteta said,
“Something I cannot do myself; I cannot manage expectations. I will try to educate him, raise him, and give him the pathway that we believe is the best.
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