Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri has agreed to stay at the club, despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.
Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history when he came on as a late substitute during the Gunners’ 3-0 win over Brentford last September.
He was just 15 years and 181 days old at the time and is regarded as one of the country’s top prospects. The attacking midfielder’s schoolboy registration was due to run out at midnight on Friday, but he has now agreed scholarship terms with Arsenal.
The Gunners are understood to have made an attractive offer to Nwaneri, who can sign professional terms when he turns 17, with academy manager Per Mertesacker, first-team boss Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu all involved in talks.
Arsenal have also mapped out how Nwaneri will have a path through to the first team. The 16-year-old has trained with the seniors after making his debut and was also taken to Dubai for a mid-season training camp in December.
Arsenal are looking to lock down all of their future scholars on Friday and talented midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly is staying too. They are also working hard to wrap up contract talks with winger Reiss Nelson.
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Talks over Nelson’s future could run beyond June 30, when his current contract expires, but there is optimism that he will stay at Arsenal. Arteta is understood to have played a key role in negotiations and trying to persuade Nelson to stay, despite interest from clubs in England and abroad.
Arsenal’s players are currently away on holiday, including Nelson, but they are due to return to pre-season training next week. Their returns will be staggered, with those who were on international duty earlier this month expected to be given a longer break.
William Saliba, who missed the end of last season with a back injury, will sign a new four-year contract when he returns from holiday.
