In June and July, Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta faced many personnel problems, from holding key players to negotiating new contracts. One of the problems he faces is the case of 18-year-old striker Ethan Nwaneri.
Nwaneri's contract will expire in the summer of 2026 and the two sides have not yet found a common voice. One of the reasons for the delay in negotiations is the regulations of the English Football Association. The FA stipulates that players under 18 are not allowed to sign contracts with a term of more than 3 years. Therefore, it was not until March that The Gunners continued to propose a contract with Nwaneri.
When renewing his contract in 2024, the agent and Nwaneri themselves showed their openness to Arsenal about a long journey. The England star hopes the Emirates will be where he takes off. Last season, Nwaneri's playing time gradually decreased. He has played 37 matches in all competitions but played fewer minutes than in the 2023-2024 season, scoring 9 goals and providing 2 assists.
If Arsenal do not renew the 18-year-old striker, Nwaneri will be free to negotiate with any team he wants from January 2026. If we still consider using this star as a long-term reserve, Arsenal will have to speed up negotiations with Nwaneri this summer.
Up to now, Andrea Berta's point of view is still to keep Ethan Nwaneri, but if he receives a good offer, selling is not impossible. Arsenal have brought in many new players, they need to sell them down to balance their finances.
The position Arsenal need most to upgrade the attack at the moment is the center forward, with rumors related to Viktor Gyokeres or Benjamin Sesko. This shows that the board is confident with the right wing (with Saka and Nwaneri).
However, the appearance of a series of rumors such as Rodrygo, Nico Williams, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White shows that the "Gunners" also want to repair the two wings. Once these stars are recruited, The Gunners will definitely have to sell their current players.
Although Nwaneri is a versatile striker, the appearance of Eze or Madueke (if any) will reduce the number of minutes played by the 18-year-old star. Nwaneri is very talented but not good enough for Arsenal to confidently hand over the entire right wing.
Last season, one of the reasons for the team's decline in attack was Saka's injury. Nwaneri is still playing as a replacement but it is impossible to make a breakthrough like Saka.
Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta will have to make a decision this month on Nwaneri. Up to now, many young stars who have grown up from the Hale End have been promoted to the first team. However, it is not many to find high-class players in the Premier League like Saka. If we bet on Nwaneri, it will be a risky gamble for Arsenal even though the victory is not without it.
