UCL: Arteta praises Arsenal star for his uniqueness, comparing him to Wilshere

Head coach of Arsenal, Mikel Arteta, has praised 16-year-old Ethan Nwaneri for his “unique” skills as the youngster gets ready to break a team record in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Tuesday night, Arsenal will play PSV in the Champions League knockout round.

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When he substituted for Arsenal against Brentford last season, Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history at the age of fifteen years and eighteen days. If he plays against PSV, he would become the youngest player to ever represent the North London club in a European competition.

The record is currently held by Jack Wilshere, who participated in a match against Dynamo Kiev in 2008 at the age of sixteen years and three29 days. Should Nwaneri play against the Dutch team, he will be sixty-three days younger.

Nwaneri was compared to Wilshere by Arteta.

At his pre-game press conference, Arteta stated, “There is something unique that he has that I really liked from the beginning, his ability to take the ball in tight areas and to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do.”

“I love that in a player—his personality—he trains with us like he does with the under-18s or under-16s.”