Mikel Arteta said he is keen to ‘push’ the development of Ethan Nwaneri and said Arsenal do not want to ‘cut his wings’.
Nwaneri took the headlines during the 3-0 win at Preston North End on Wednesday night, as the 17-year-old scored a stunning goal at Deepdale. An unstoppable effort from outside the area helped Arsenal secure their place in the competition’s quarter-finals.
It was a third goal in two Carabao Cup appearances for the midfielder, who is pushing for regular Premier League involvement.
Nwaneri became the youngest debutant in top-flight history, aged 15, in September 2022 and is now on the fringes of the first-team squad in North London.
The academy product will be aiming for more Premier League minutes when Arsenal travel to face Newcastle this weekend and Arteta said it is important to ‘push’ the development of a ‘rare’ talent.
“I can talk about how good he is right now. At 17, to be in the position he is in at one of the biggest clubs in Europe sums up where he is.” Arteta said at his pre-match press conference.
“He is surrounded by the right people. My prediction is going to be very positive.
“It’s rare to see a talent like this at 17 years old, that’s true. We didn’t do it because it was a gift, we saw a path for him and wanted to show the trust in him.
“I think the biggest thing is to push him. Once you push, grab him from behind. When you see this talent, you have to push him. He has to see he can fly and not cut his wings.
“That shows in the building that there is a pathway and for other players to follow.”
