Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has taken Ethan Nwaneri under his wing and hailed the teenager as an “unbelievable player”.
Nwaneri is only 17 years old but has broken into Arsenal’s first-team squad this season and caught the eye with a number of fine performances.
The midfielder has scored three goals in Arsenal’s run to the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup, while he also found the net in the Premier League last month.
Odegaard knows just what it is like to be a teenage star after signing for Real Madrid when he was just 16 and it is why the Norwegian has offered to help Nwaneri.
“Obviously it was a big change for me to go to Madrid at 16 years old and I was still a baby when I look back now,” said Odegaard.
“I think I just learned what it feels to be a young player in a senior squad and it’s not always the most easy thing, so that’s something I keep in mind now when younger players are coming up to the first team. I know how they feel and just try to help them as much as possible.
“I have been trying to help him (Nwaneri) in many different ways. I think for a young player, sometimes it is just to help him to be himself and feel natural, and don’t be like too much on him.
“I think everyone can see the qualities he has and for him it is just about showing that and enjoying and keep improving all the time.
“He is doing amazing. I think, for his age, to play the way he plays, with such confidence, with such enthusiasm, eagerness to get on the ball and always show his quality.
“I am really, really happy for him and proud of him for what he is doing and I am sure there’s a lot more to come because he is a good boy with a good mentality. He will just get better and better.
“I don’t want to put too much pressure and too big words on him, but he is an unbelievable player already. I don’t think there’s any reason to speak about the talent because everyone can see that.
“He’s already a big player. I don’t see him as a talent, I see him as a really good player and that’s a great sign for such a young player.”
