Arsenal have opened talks with Ethan Nwaneri over a new contract, with the player’s current deal set to expire in 2026.
Fabrizio Romano reports on his YouTube channel that Arsenal have started concrete conversations with Ethan Nwaneri over a new contract for the midfielder.
The Gunners reportedly want to hand Nwaneri a significant new deal in the coming months, though it might take some time to get it done.
Romano adds that Arsenal did a good job in keeping Nwaneri to begin with, with plenty of clubs sniffing around to try and hijack his first professional deal.
It’s unsurprising that the new contract won’t be done imminently, as Nwaneri will only be eligible to put pen to paper on a new deal once he turns 18.
The rules around contracts for young players mean that you can only sign a deal of up to three years when you turn 17, and you can’t extend that contract beyond that until you’re 18.
Nwaneri’s birthday is in March, so Arsenal won’t officially be able to hand him an extension until then. But club and player could come to an agreement in principle before that, just waiting until March to sign on the dotted line.
Nwaneri has made nine appearances for Mikel Arteta’s senior team this season, scoring four goals. The teenager had only played first-team football on two occasions before the 2024/25 campaign, but he’s stepped up into a more important role this year.
Three of Nwaneri’s four goals came in his two starts for the club, both in the League Cup against lower-league opposition. It’s still impressive to have done so well against senior opponents, but Saturday’s goal against Nottingham Forest was the player’s first against a Premier League side.
Arteta said afterwards that it was another step forward for the youngster, another brick in his wall. It seems Arsenal are hoping to keep building on Nwaneri’s solid start for years to come.