Arsenal fans are all raving about the same player after seeing his performance against Bayer Leverkusen.
Mikel Arteta’s team advanced their Premier League preparations with a 4-1 victory over the current Bundesliga champions at the Emirates Stadium. Oleksandr Zinchenko, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Jesus scored in the first half, and Kai Havertz, facing his old club, added a fourth goal in the 65th minute.
Arsenal deployed a robust starting lineup for the friendly, with Arteta’s team appearing quite similar to the squad that will face Wolves on August 17.
Martin Ødegaard, William Saliba, Ben White, and Gabriel Magalhães were also key players who started the match, while England’s Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice made their first appearances since the Euro 2024 final as substitutes. Arteta also provided opportunities for academy prospects, with Myles Lewis-Skelly, Ayden Heaven, and Josh Nichols all coming on as substitutes.
Gunners fans were particularly impressed by 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who set a record as Arsenal’s youngest-ever first-team player with his debut against Brentford in September 2022. Despite not being immediately promoted to the first team, Nwaneri, who signed his first professional contract with Arsenal in March amid Chelsea’s interest, continued his development with the academy. Last season, he scored 11 goals in 15 appearances for the U21s, and fans are eager to see him advance further following his appearance against Leverkusen. On Twitter, one fan praised him, noting: “Really enjoying this Ethan Nwaneri cameo so far. Positive in everything he’s done, links up well with teammates, and is so quick with the ball at his feet.”
Another fan commented: “Nwaneri is incredibly robust, fast, and aggressive. This kid is destined for the top.”
A third fan said: “Watching Myles and Nwaneri in the second half, it’s clear they’ve completely changed the tempo of our attack. I’m really pleased to see Arteta integrating them into the team.”
A fourth fan remarked: “Ethan Nwaneri is definitely ready for Premier League minutes.”
A fifth fan noted: “Hype around youth players can be risky, but there’s no doubt Nwaneri is on a path to the top.”
