Arsenal train ahead of Champions League trip to PSV
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has compared Gunners wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri to club hero Jack Wilshere as the youngster prepares to potentially make his Champions League debut on Tuesday against PSV. With Arsenal having already qualified as group winners, the trip to Eindhoven has presented Arteta with a chance to rest his first teamers and take a look at the club’s top prospects.
Arteta talked up Nwaneri alongside fellow youngsters Reuell Walters and Lino Sousa, all of whom could make their European debuts in the Netherlands. The head coach previously made Nwaneri the youngest Premier League player of all time during last season’s win at Brentford, clearly believing in his talents at such a young age.
“Something unique that he’s got that I really liked from the beginning is his ability to take the ball in tight areas, to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do,” Arteta said on Monday when asked about Nwaneri. “The personality he has he trains with us like he trains with the Under-18s, Under-16s. And I love that in a player.
“He’s got that thing between his teeth as well that he wants to show every single day how good he is and impress people. When you have someone like that you have to give him hope as well.
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“It was a really important moment for us because we really wanted to keep him. I think it was a strong sign for him (making his Premier League debut) that this was his place to keep developing.”
Wilshere was one of the most inventive midfielders in England after breaking into the Arsenal team. His dribbling ability got the Gunners out of numerous tricky situations and his close control was encapsulated best by his 2013/14 Match of the Day Goal of the Season against Norwich, combining with Olivier Giroud for a memorable effort.
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Nwaneri could show off his Wilshere-esque talents against PSV on Tuesday, knowing that he has the backing of his manager. The 16-year-old will be full of confidence after recently hitting Crewe Under-18s for five goals during Arsenal’s 7-1 win in the FA Youth Cup.
There has been plenty of uncertainty in Arsenal’s midfield this season and a good performance against PSV could show Arteta that he deserves more performances with the senior team.
Only two spots in Arteta’s midfield have been guaranteed this season – those of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard. And if Nwaneri can burst onto the scene in a similar fashion to Wilshere against Barcelona in 2011, then the sky is the limit for an exceptionally talented young player.
Arsenal’s new kit for 2023/2024 is a stylish twist on a classic as it reinvents that mid-1990s vibe. A truly modern-looking shirt with a homage to the past, the Nike kit also includes a nod to the club’s iconic Invincible’s side in the finer details while catching the eye with the lightning bolt motif
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