Arsenal legend Merson tells Arteta that he should be ‘worried’ about starlet after comments
Arsenal legend Paul Merson thinks Mikel Arteta should be “worried” by comments from Ethan Nwaneri’s former academy coach comparing the starlet to Phil Foden and Cole Palmer.
The 17-year-old has impressed in 11 appearances in all competitions as he’s showed flashes of his talent with four goals – but he is yet to start a game in the Premier League.
Arsenal boss Arteta has been wary of introducing Nwaneri too early with the youngster progressing at a good pace, after being hyped up ever since becoming the youngest player to feature in the Premier League, when he made his debut against Brentford in September 2022 at 15 years and 181 days.
Former academy coach Dan Micciche reckons Nwaneri is in the same “tier” of talent as Foden, Palmer and Chelsea winger Jadon Sancho.
Micciche told Sky Sports: “I worked with Foden, Sancho and Palmer. Ethan is in that tier.”
Arsenal team-mate Gabriel Jesus has also likened Nwaneri’s talent to Foden and Palmer, the Brazilian said: “I have been with some very special youngsters, like Phil and Cole — and also James McAtee at City, he is also very good.
“So to see Ethan in training and in the game is good, because I am a fan of football… when I see someone young with this quality, I am happy and then obviously I want him to grow, grow, grow. Then if he needs something from me personally, I am here to help him because I am 27.”
But Merson insists he would be “worried” if he was Arteta over comments comparing Nwaneri to already established Premier League players and hopes the Arsenal youngster has good people around him.
Merson told Sky Sports: “His ability to get on the ball, he’s intelligent, he makes runs, he can beat people, he can see a pass. I’d be worried if I was the manager, him [Nwaneri’s former academy coach] saying that [comparison’s to Foden, Sancho and Palmer].
“If I’m Arteta I’d be worried. I’d be thinking, ‘please don’t say that’. Not just building him up too much, because he’ll start thinking, ‘well I should be in the team now because I’m better than Foden’. I’m not saying it’s him but it’s the people around him. Hopefully he does [have good people around him].”
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Arteta said earlier this month that he “trusts” Nwaneri and the Arsenal boss plans to protect the youngster while he is still developing.
The Arsenal boss said: “It is rare to see a talent like this at 17, that’s true.
“When he made his debut in the Premier League there was a lot of talk about it.
“We didn’t do it as a gift, we did it because we knew the pathway we wanted to build with him and we wanted to send him a really strong sign about how much we trust him and how much we wanted him to stay with us.”
Arteta added: “The biggest thing is to push him and then when he is pushing you grab him from behind to make sure he is stable and protected. This talent you have to push him.
“Protection is necessary, keeping an eye on him, but he needs to see that he can go and fly and not cut his wings.
“I can talk about how good he is right now and the position he is at, at one of the biggest clubs in Europe, sums up really well the level he has.
“What happens in the future is going to depend on him and how much he wants it. At the moment he wants it a lot and he is surrounded by the right people.
“The crystal ball to see what he is going to be in two or three years, no. My prediction is going to be very positive.”
