Patrick Vieira has warned Mikel Arteta about rushing to give Ethan Nwaneri regular first-team minutes before the Arsenal teenager is ready.
Nwaneri has been seen as the next great Hale End Academy talent ever since he made his Premier League debut aged 15 back in 2022.
And the Englishman, now 17, delivered another reminder of his talents with a superb goal on Wednesday as Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 win against Preston North End in the Carabao Cup.
Nwaneri has made just four brief cameo appearances in the league this season but clamourings for Arteta to give him more regular minutes will have only increased after his latest impressive first-team display.
However, former Gunners captain Vieira believes Arteta is doing the right thing by not rushing Nwaneri and warned the Spaniard not to give in to fans’ desires and, instead, allow the teenager to develop at his own pace.
‘With Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling, and Kai Havertz, competition is enormous,’ Vieira told bettingexpert.com.
‘He’s only 17, so we shouldn’t rush things. He has great potential, and I’m confident Mikel Arteta will gradually give him his chance.
‘Just because the squad is stretched doesn’t mean Nwaneri should suddenly play every three days.
‘Technically, he’s strong, good at dribbling, creative, and keen to get forward. He’s also skilled in tight areas.’
Arteta, meanwhile, was full of praise for Nwaneri’s display on Wednesday and said the midfielder has all the qualities to thrive in an Arsenal shirt.
‘He’s there. He’s showing every day what he’s capable of,’ he said. ‘You see his teammates, they give the ball all the time. That’s a great sign. We’ve got some player there.
‘He’s a big talent, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right players and context around him and we need to make sure that we put brick by brick. But we have some player there!’
On the personality of Nwaneri, Arteta added: ‘Well so much character there. He wants to make every ball, he wants to make things happen.
‘Outside, around the boys, he’s still a bit quiet but that’s usual. He’s still only 17-years-old. His work ethic is tremendous and he loves what he does.’
Arsenal are back in league action on Saturday as they travel to face Newcastle.
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