The youngest Premier League debutant and Arsenal midfielder has been linked with Chelsea amidst a transfer saga and contract stall…
London's giants, Chelsea, are looking to sign the Premier League's youngest-ever debutant and Arsenal midfielder, Ethan Chidiebere Nwanneri, soccernet.ng reports.
Chidiebere, who is eligible to play for the Nigerian male national team, made his Premier League debut in September last year, coming off the Bench to replace Fábio Vieira at just 15 years and 181 days to become the youngest player to grace the scenes at the Emirates Stadium.
The youngster broke the record previously set in the Premier League by Liverpool's Harvey Elliot, and Arsenal's youngest debutant before him, Francesc Fabregas, a record which was capped at 16 years and 177 days.
The talented midfielder joined Arsenal when he was nine years old. Still, when he was fourteen, he had already been an integral part of the U-18 team and even started the early parts of last season playing for the club's U-21 side, and he has also represented the England youth team on several occasions.
However, he is of Nigerian descent, and only time will tell if the young lad will take a shot at switching his allegiance.
Primarily a number “10”, Arsenal's U-18 coach, Jack Wilshere, has heaped praises on Ethan, and when quizzed about the young midfielder's future.
“Us as coaches, and I think it's important for Ethan that we've done this the way we have, I don't get involved in that. It's not for me. It is a Per, a Mikel one. All I care about with Ethan is when he goes over to the first team. Obviously, he is still at school. He's so young, but when he goes to the first team, how can we help him? Mikel says, ‘he gets it,' and that's why it's so important that we align with the first team and have the same football language.” he said.
According to Football London, the Stamford Bridge outfit's interest has been for a while, as even Manchester City had a look at the youngster sometime earlier in the year.
However, the 16-year-old hasn't committed his future to the Gunners just yet, and Chelsea are really keen on his signature.
It will not be a strange business move between the London clubs, as several players have crossed the divide in recent years, despite being bitter rivals, and the next player to do that might be Kai Havertz.
