“He Can Fly” – Arteta Vows To Let Wonderkid Nwaneri Loose

By The Editor
on 1st November 2024

Arteta vows to let Nwaneri fly…

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has vowed to let Ethan Nwaneri fly after the teenager produced a stunning performance in our 3-0 win against Preston on Wednesday night.

Speaking ahead of our trip to Newcastle United as we look to get back to winning ways in the Premier League, many have speculated if Arteta is ready to throw Nwaneri into a league game.

The 17-year-old has come off the bench on four occasions in the league this season but with Martin Odegaard still sidelined, fans have been calling for Nwaneri to start in his place.

Arteta has been very cautious with integrating academy talent in recent years and with the team now fighting at the top of English and European football, the margins for error are very minimal.

However, the Spaniard seems to have had a change of heart and is ready to let Nwaneri loose.

“I think the biggest thing is to push him, and then when he is being pushed, you always grab him right behind to make sure that he’s always stable and protected,” Arteta said when asked if he needs to protect the protege.

“But with this talent, you have to push him. The protection is necessary to keep an eye on him and be at the right distance, but he needs to see that he can fly and don’t clip any wings.”

Arteta usually avoids the topic of Hale End graduates simply because he doesn’t have any immediate plans to throw them in the deep end.

However, since pre-season, the club has had a collective effort to promote Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly, two players who were the jewel in the crown for their age group.

The uniqueness of their promotion is the absence of a loan spell – something which only happens to generational talents such as Bukayo Saka.

When asked to compare the youngsters he’s managing now to his own career which started at 17, Arteta admitted every young player needs a coach to given them an opportunity to shine.

“I was really lucky as well because somebody trusted me at that age and gave me the opportunity, which is what they need as well.

“For the talent to emerge, somebody has to give you the chance, the belief, then you have to be surrounded by the right team, the right players. If you do that, you have a chance.”