Ethan Nwaneri Signs Long-Term Arsenal Deal, Sets Sights On Bigger First-Team Role

‎Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri has agreed to a five-year deal with the club, saying he feels at home there.

‎He becomes the third senior player to extend their contract this summer. Gabriel Magalhaes and Myles Lewis-Skelly also signed new terms ahead of Arsenal’s preseason tour of Asia.

‎Nwaneri on how Arsenal feels to him

‎The 18-year-old’s previous deal was due to run out in June 2026. Arsenal were eager to secure him on a new contract after an impressive season that saw him score nine goals in all competitions under manager Mikel Arteta.

‎Speaking to the club website, Nwaneri explained how much the new deal means to him, and he admits that he is excited to show what he can bring to the side that will challenge for the Premier League title once again.

‎“Signing this contract means everything to me. I see this as my first real season in men’s senior football, as part of the squad in the changing room.

‎“I’m so excited for what I can bring to the team. I want to help us win as much as possible and bring happiness and glory to the club. This is where I feel at home.”

‎Nwaneri’s advice for Arsenal academy stars

‎Nwaneri will wear a new shirt number this season, switching from 53 to 22 after goalkeeper David Raya gave up the No. 22 jersey for the No. 1 shirt.

‎He previously made history by becoming Arsenal’s youngest-ever first-team player at 15 years and 181 days, in 2022.

‎When asked what advice he would give to academy stars at Arsenal, he gave some great insight into what helped him become an integral part of the first team squad.

‎“Keep patient and have goals in your head,” he suggested.

‎“When you’re at Hale End, the next target is to get to the Sobha Realty Training Centre. And when you’re there, it’s to get in the under-21s.

‎”Then the first thing was just to keep patient, keep working hard every day at your craft, and have the long-term vision in the back of your head, but just be ready when it comes.

‎“It’s a good pressure that (the academy players) are going to be watching you, so you need to show them the right things. It means a lot that the young generation is looking up to me now because when I was their age, I was looking up to the Hale End graduates and the Arsenal players in general.

‎“Reiss (Nelson), Bukayo (Saka), Emile (Smith Rowe) so many players. Ainsley Maitland-Niles all these players I was looking up to when I was young.

‎”You don’t compare, but you’ve shared something, like a moment. They’ve been where you’ve been, and you’re trying to get to where they are.”