Manchester City are “fighting” Chelsea to secure the services of Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri, according to the Evening Standard.
The London newspaper claims that the Gunners are facing the prospect of losing the teenager when his scholarship contract expires at the end of the week.
They have tabled what they believe is an “attractive offer” to Nwaneri, but the player also has proposals from both City and Chelsea.
The Citizens have demonstrated in recent years that they are prepared to give youth a chance, having given senior debuts to the likes of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, James McAtee and Rico Lewis who have all come through their academy.
Chelsea will, though, prove to be strong opponents for Nwaneri’s signature, with the Blues having invested heavily in young talent since the arrival of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital as owners last year.
The Arsenal starlet is the Premier League’s youngest ever player
Nwaneri has already made a first-team appearance for the Gunners, having come on as a last-minute substitute in the 3-0 win over Brentford in September.
In the process, the midfielder became the youngest player in Premier League history, having been given his debut at 15 years and 181 days.
Arsenal are not confident about keeping Nwaneri
Many believe that Nwaneri was given his chance in order to persuade him to sign a new contract. He has not been in a first-team squad since that game, although he has subsequently trained with the senior squad when they flew out to Dubai for a mid-season training camp before the New Year.
Considering he hasn’t put pen to paper on a new deal yet, it appears the Gunners’ persuasion tactics haven’t worked. If City do win the race for the 16-year-old, compensation is due to be paid but they will be getting a very promising young player.
