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Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka has tipped a big future for Hale End wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, who this weekend became the Premier League’s youngest ever player at just 15-years-old.

Speaking to CBS Sport after Arsenal’s 3-0 win away at Brentford, the Swiss international lauded the teenager for his quality at London Colney, where Xhaka has been coaching the U-16s as part of his coaching license with Nwaneri catching the midfielder’s eye almost immediately.

Nwaneri only made his Arsenal U-21 debut earlier in the month in what was then quite a staggering move for the 15-year-old, where the attacking midfielder bagged an assist in a 1-1 draw against Blackburn Rovers before making the bench this weekend against Brentford.

With the youngster already playing in the Premier League at just 15, Nwaneri could feature more for Arsenal as the season progresses, especially in the UEFA Europa League and League Cup, and for Xhaka, the sky is the limit for the England youth international after his record-breaking appearance this weekend.

Xhaka said about Nwaneri: “I am doing my coaching license and I have trained [him in] the U-16s. You can see a big difference with him and the other guys. He is very, very special. Of course, you have to protect him as he is very young, but if he keeps going like this with his hard work he has a big, big future.

“He is not with us a lot in training. I have maybe seen him two or three times now. But he is very shy, of course, but the time will come when he will be more with us. You have to protect him and help him. Football is not everything for him and for us, but yes, the club will help him and the experienced players have to help him.”

Nwaneri’s appearance off the bench from Arsenal caused quite the stir on social media given just how young the midfielder is, yet for the north London side themselves, they have one heck of a talent on their hands if they’re able to manage his development correctly.

Indeed, Arsenal have been in this position before where they have had a youngster with immense potential only for it to go to waste, and Nwaneri could fall into that trap if the Gunners fail to properly plan the midfielder’s career for the next few years.

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