Arsenal’s stance on loaning out Ethan Nwaneri this January

West Ham are likely to come up short in their attempts to seal a January loan move for Ethan Nwaneri, with Arsenal reluctant to lose any of their senior squad at this crucial stage of the season.

Nwaneri burst out of Arsenal’s academy ranks to become the youngest ever player to feature in an English top-flight match back in 2022, aged just 15 years and 181 days old.

Another Premier League appearance followed midway through the 2023/24 campaign – but it was last season that Nwaneri well and truly established himself as a genuine first-team star.

Nwaneri made a total of 29 appearances in the league, including 11 starts, while chipping in with a more than respectable tally of four goals and two assists considering his tender years.

However, the 18-year-old attacking midfielder has found regular playing time harder to come by this term and is still yet to make a single league start for top-of-the-table Arsenal, 21 games into the season.

The England Under-21 international has been forced to bide his time for opportunities, limited largely to Arsenal’s cup competitions as a means to impress Mikel Arteta.

According to football.london, relegation-threatened West Ham have identified Nwaneri as a potential loan option to help boost their survival hopes in the second half of the season – but Arsenal have been quick to knock back interest from their London rivals.

It’s claimed the Gunners do not deem a loan move to be ‘essential’ for Nwaneri’s development at this stage, which explains why the Hammers’ pursuit of the youngster has so far come to nothing.

Nwaneri has also attracted strong interest overseas and elsewhere in the Premier League, including from Bournemouth.

There is said to be an ‘internal belief’ within Arsenal’s hierarchy that losing players may destabilise the club’s title charge for their all-important run-in – and therefore it is ‘far more likely’ Nwaneri will remain at the Emirates.

The report adds that while Nwaneri has been struggling for regular first-team action, Arsenal bosses are confident the teenager is benefitting simply by training alongside many of the best players in the country on a daily basis.

It was less than six months ago that the Hale End academy product put pen to paper on a new deal with Arsenal, tying him to the club until June 2030.

Nwaneri was handed a rare start last weekend as Arsenal came from behind to beat Portsmouth and book their spot in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

While Gabriel Martinelli stole much of the limelight with his first senior hat-trick at Fratton Park, Nwaneri put in a fine display and did his chances no harm whatsoever ahead of tonight’s Carabao Cup clash with Chelsea.

‘He deserved that [chance],’ Arteta said of Nwaneri following his side’s 4-1 defeat of Portsmouth.

‘Because of the strength of the squad and the players that are in the positions, he hasn’t been able to play.

‘Today he’s done it and I think he had some very good minutes.’

Speaking exclusively to Metro, on behalf of GeckoPlay Casino, in November, ex-Arsenal defender Lauren suggested a loan switch could be a ‘good option’ for Nwaneri.

‘First of all, youngsters have to play to able to develop and improve his qualities,’ he said.

‘We know about his qualities. A young player needs to play if he is to develop. At this moment of time, it’s very difficult for him to pop up into the team because there a top player now.

‘There are more good players in the last third so for him it’s more difficult, and it’s the same with Dowman. 

‘It’s not a bad idea to go on loan and then to play the games that you need to develop. Maybe he might come back. It’s not the end of the world.

‘I believe it could be a good option for a youngster to move along and then come back later on.’

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