Harry Redknapp tells Arsenal they have ‘incredible player on their hands’

Harry Redknapp has told Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta he has an ‘incredible player on his hands’ in teenage star Ethan Nwaneri.

Nwaneri is enjoying a breakout season at the Emirates Stadium, making 18 appearances in all competitions.

The 17-year-old became the youngest footballer to ever play in the Premier League in September 2022 when he came on as a substitute at the age of 15.

Despite that sensationally early introduction, Nwaneri only made one first-team appearance last season before being integrated into the Arsenal squad properly in the second-half of last year.

Nwaneri scored a brace – his first goals in professional football – in the League Cup thrashing over Bolton Wanderers back in September and netted his first Premier League goal in November against high-flying Nottingham Forest.

The England U19 midfielder scored again in Saturday’s draw with Brighton – becoming the first player to score more than one goal in the Premier League for Arsenal before their 18th birthday – but then had to be subbed off at half-time due to an injury.

‘Speaking of a classy player, young Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal looks a serious, serious talent,’ Redknapp told BetVictor.

‘To be playing for Arsenal and to be trusted by Mikel Arteta at such a young age says a lot and you can see why.

‘He’s got a lovely left foot and is so composed on the ball; nothing seems to faze him and he’s filling in for Bukayo Saka on that right hand side very well.

‘I’m excited to watch his development over the next couple of seasons – Arsenal could have an incredible player on their hands.’

Arteta had hoped Nwaneri would help to cover for the injured Bukayo Saka for the Gunners but the teenager is set to be sidelined for a ‘few weeks’ after going off injured against Brighton.

‘Unfortunately he’s picked up an injury and is going to be out for a few weeks, it’s a muscular injury,’ Arteta said ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg tie against Newcastle United.

‘He didn’t really know, he said: “I’m feeling something but I don’t really know, what is it?”

‘He has earned the right to step up and play for us and now he starts to have some games and impact them, which he’s done in different positions as well, so I’m gutted for him because it’s going to stop that a little bit.

‘But it’s another step in that development phase that he’s in, but I’m really happy with the way he is going.’

Before the injury blow, Arsenal legend Martin Keown suggested Nwaneri could be the player to ‘step up’ and replace Saka, who could be out for another two months.

‘I don’t know of a player that has created more chances for his colleagues in the Premier League this season, so he’s obviously going to be a really big miss,’ Keown told talkSPORT when asked about Saka’s absence.

‘It’s up to someone to step up, maybe [Ethan] Nwaneri, who has been playing in the [Martin] Odegaard role, maybe he could come into the front line and give us something different.

‘He’s a left-footed player so why not push him into the top line. There are options for the manager.’

Arsenal’s draw at Brighton and Liverpool’s subsequent stalemate with Manchester United means the Gunners remain six points behind Arne Slot’s Premier League leaders.

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