Arteta promotes Nwaneri to Arsenal first team

Fans praise Nwaneri, EPL’s youngest-ever player

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Mikel Arteta has handed pre-season tour tickets to three Arsenal youngsters as the Gunners begin to ramp up preparations ahead of the new season.

Arsenal are currently out in Germany getting ready for their first pre-season match of the summer against Bundesliga 2 side Nurnberg and could hand minutes to a trio of promising academy stars.

Youngsters Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Reuell Walters were picked by Arteta to join the first-team for the trip to Germany and have been training with the senior squad ahead of Thursday’s warm-up clash.

Nwaneri will be a familiar name to Arsenal supporters after becoming the youngest ever player in Premier League history last season when he made his first-team debut against Brentford at the age of 15 years and 181 days.

He recently committed his long-term future to the club after agreeing scholarship terms at Arsenal amid rumoured interest from Man City and Chelsea.

The midfield talent will be able to sign a first professional deal once he turns 17 next year and Arsenal will be hoping to convince him to stay at the Emirates.

Arsenal maintain high hopes for his development and at the time of extending his stay stated: ‘Ethan has been with us for a long time, progressing through Hale End from pre-academy right the way through to London Colney.

‘He plays mostly as an attacking midfield player and has always scored goals from this position on his development journey.

‘Ethan can dribble, beat defenders and sees the last pass very well. Ethan has represented England at youth level.’

Joining Nwaneri in Germany are fellow academy prospects Lewis-Skelly and Walters who will both be hoping to impress during Arsenal’s pre-season fixtures.