England teenager of Nigerian descent, Ethan Nwaneri, is set to spend at least two weeks on the sidelines after sustaining an injury during Arsenal’s draw against Brighton & Hove Albion.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has provided a concerning update on the 17-year-old, who was withdrawn at halftime during the weekend match.
Nwaneri had been filling the void left by Bukayo Saka, who is currently recovering from successful hamstring surgery. The promising youngster made his first Premier League start against Brentford on New Year’s Day and retained his place for the subsequent trip to the south coast. However, his injury saw him replaced by Gabriel Martinelli at halftime, raising concerns among Arsenal supporters.
Addressing the situation at a press conference ahead of Arsenal’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg against Newcastle United, Arteta confirmed the bad news.
“Unfortunately, he has picked up an injury, and he is going to be out for a few weeks,” the manager said.
No specific timeline has been provided for Nwaneri’s return, but his absence compounds Arsenal’s challenges on the right flank, especially with Saka already sidelined until March.
While Leandro Trossard is a potential option, he is more effective on the left. Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus continues to shine in his preferred role as a central striker, leaving Arteta with limited choices to fill the gap.
