Ethan Nwaneri is in contention to become Arsenal’s youngest-ever player in Europe (Getty)
Mikel Arteta believes Ethan Nwaneri has ‘unique’ qualities as the 16-year-old prepares to set a new record for Arsenal in the Champions League on Tuesday evening.
Having already secured a place in the Champions League knockout phase, Arteta is expected to make several changes to his side for their final game in Group B away to PSV.
Nwaneri, who became the Premier League’s youngest-ever player at 15 years and 181 days when he came on for Arsenal against Brentford last season, is in contention to feature against PSV, which would make him the youngest player to ever play for the Gunners in a European competition.
Jack Wilshere currently holds the record from when he played against Dynamo Kiev in 2008 aged 16 years and 329 days, but Nwaneri will be 63 days younger if he makes an appearance against the Dutch club.
And Arteta claims he already sees similarities between Wilshere and Nwaneri, who has impressed during training sessions with the first team.
‘There’s something unique that he’s got that I really liked from the beginning, his ability to take the ball in tight areas and to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do,’ Arteta said on Monday evening.
‘The personality he has, he trains with us like he trains with the under-18s or under-16s and I love that in a player.
Ethan Nwaneri with Declan Rice during Arsenal’s training session on Monday (Getty)
‘He’s got that bit between his teeth as well that he wants to show every single day how good he is and to impress people.
‘When you have someone like that, you have to give him hope and as well it was a really important moment for us because we really wanted to keep him and I think it was a strange sign for him that this is his place for him to develop.’
Arteta is also adamant that Arsenal want to finish their group-stage campaign with a win in Eindhoven, despite several key players expected to be rested.
‘We have five or six big injuries, so we are already a bit thin,’ Arteta said.
‘I don’t know in a different context what I would have done. But as well I want everyone together, and everyone together with the mentality to win.
‘I want to see in the tummy of the players tomorrow that although the job technically is done, it is not completely done.
‘Our duty as representatives of Arsenal is to win every game and tomorrow we need a big performance against a team that is going to make it very difficult like they have shown in the past two years here.’
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‘There’s something unique that he’s got that I really liked from the beginning, his ability to take the ball in tight areas and to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do.’