Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed pride in Ethan Nwaneri’s call-up to the England U21 squad, saying it is a significant step in the young player’s development.
Nwaneri, who is of Nigerian descent, has become a key member of Arteta’s squad this season, taking on a bigger role due to injuries to players like Bukayo Saka.
The teenager has mainly played as a right winger, making 28 appearances across all competitions, scoring eight goals, and providing one assist.
Despite missing out on a senior England call-up, unlike his teammate Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arteta believes Nwaneri’s involvement with the U21 team is still a proud moment.
“Yeah, I think we all do because obviously, we are involved in their development and we know that it’s one of the biggest dreams that you can achieve as a football player and a really proud moment,” Arteta said.
The Arsenal manager also spoke about the importance of having an English core within the club, which has a strong group of homegrown talents.
“I think culturally, because of our history and we’re an English club, to have that DNA that represents us is very important,” he said.
Arteta added that seeing academy players succeed strengthens the connection between the club and its fans.
“It attaches people to the football club, it makes them proud. Everybody wants to see academy players and English players being the face of the club. It has to happen naturally, and with these two, it’s really good news.”
