BREAKING NEWS: Mikel Arteta gives a strong indication of Ethan Nwaneri’s likelihood of featuring against Tottenham.
Mikel Arteta has suggested that he is ready to include Ethan Nwaneri in the starting lineup for Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham.
Nwaneri made history nearly two years ago as the youngest player ever to appear in a Premier League match when he came on as a late substitute against Brentford.
Since then, Nwaneri has continued to develop within Arsenal’s youth teams and recently signed a new long-term contract, despite interest from Chelsea and Manchester City.
The 17-year-old impressed during Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the United States and is now poised to become a regular member of Arteta’s first team squad.
With injuries to Martin Ødegaard and Mikel Merino, along with Declan Rice’s suspension, Arteta is missing three key midfielders for Sunday’s match. Nevertheless, he hinted that he would not hesitate to give Nwaneri an opportunity.
Arteta said, “We have to adapt to changes within the team; we will encounter these kinds of situations throughout the season.” When asked about Nwaneri’s potential involvement, he continued, “It happened very early, since the second game. When you look at the bench we had against Brighton, it is very different from what we might have expected.”
He added, “This is our current situation; we have to face it and make the most of the opportunities. The young players have given us hope and reason to rely on them, and we must do so.”
Although Arsenal allowed players like Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira, who could have been natural replacements for Ødegaard, to leave during the summer, Arteta stated he has no regrets. He is satisfied with the squad’s size and quality.
Arteta acknowledged, “The squad could be larger, but we have certain limitations. We had to make specific decisions, and some players needed new challenges in their careers.”
“We have brought in a few new players, which is a change from previous years, but I am really happy with the squad’s quality. There are uncontrollable factors, and the last two weeks have been extremely unlucky. We have to manage it, but I hope things will improve as the season progresses.”