Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has compared Gunners wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri to club hero Jack Wilshere as the youngster prepares to potentially make his Champions League debut on Tuesday against PSV. With Arsenal having already qualified as group winners, the trip to Eindhoven has presented Arteta with a chance to rest his first teamers and take a look at the club’s top prospects.
Arteta talked up Nwaneri alongside fellow youngsters Reuell Walters and Lino Sousa, all of whom could make their European debuts in the Netherlands. The head coach previously made Nwaneri the youngest Premier League player of all time during last season’s win at Brentford, clearly believing in his talents at such a young age.
“Something unique that he’s got that I really liked from the beginning is his ability to take the ball in tight areas, to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do,” Arteta said on Monday when asked about Nwaneri. “The personality he has he trains with us like he trains with the Under-18s, Under-16s. And I love that in a player.
“He’s got that thing between his teeth as well that he wants to show every single day how good he is and impress people. When you have someone like that you have to give him hope as well.
“It was a really important moment for us because we really wanted to keep him. I think it was a strong sign for him (making his Premier League debut) that this was his place to keep developing.”
Wilshere was one of the most inventive midfielders in England after breaking into the Arsenal team. His dribbling ability got the Gunners out of numerous tricky situations and his close control was encapsulated best by his 2013/14 Match of the Day Goal of the Season against Norwich, combining with Olivier Giroud for a memorable effort.
