Nwaneri signs five-year Arsenal deal

Arsenal confirms 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri has signed a five-year deal and aims for a bigger role in the first team.

Ethan Nwaneri signs five-year contract to push for bigger role at Arsenal

Arsenal confirmed 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri has signed a five-year contract to stay at the club he joined as an eight-year-old. The forward, who became the Premier League's youngest ever debutant in 2022 at age 15 years and 181 days, has made 39 appearances for Arsenal and scored nine goals. Chelsea and clubs in Germany reportedly showed interest, but Arsenal moved to keep him long term. Nwaneri was also part of England's Under-21 squad this summer and remains a key figure in the Hale End academy pipeline.

Nwaneri said the contract feels like a turning point and that he wants to take on a bigger role in men’s senior football this season. He noted his development has included becoming more direct and adding more goals. Arsenal also signed Myles Lewis-Skelly to a long-term deal this summer, another sign of the club prioritizing youth growth. Arsenal begin the season away to Manchester United on 17 August, with Nwaneri and fellow youth graduates eyeing opportunities to contribute from the start.

Arsenal is signaling a clear shift toward homegrown talent, betting that a core of young players can grow together under Mikel Arteta. Keeping Nwaneri amid early interest from rivals shows a longer-term plan, but it also places pressure on a player still near the start of his career. The second part of the equation is the wider talent pool at Hale End, where Lewis-Skelly and others are being fast-tracked. This strategy has potential cost and reward: it can reduce transfer expenditure while boosting club identity, but it requires careful management to avoid burnout or overexposure for teenagers. The season will test how quickly youth promise translates into consistent first-team impact.

Highlights

The real test for Arsenal is turning promise into results.