'Arsenal looking to bring in Madueke' – Blackburn icon weighs in on Nwaneri's contract situation

Blackburn Rovers icon Paul Robinson has weighed in on the contract situation of Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri, amid reports linking the Gunners with an imminent move for Chelsea forward Noni Madueke.

In a chat with Football Insider, Robinson suggested that Arsenal's interest in Madueke—who plays in a similar position—could significantly influence the ongoing negotiations with Nwaneri, whose current deal expires next year.

"Arsenal are looking to bring in Madueke in his position. So where does that leave Nwaneri? His agent will be using that as leverage," Robinson said.

"With the competition for places coming in at Arsenal, it depends how far off he is on the pay grade."

Robinson believes the 18-year-old England U21 international of Nigerian descent is in a strong bargaining position.

"With his contract coming to an end, he's in a very strong position, an excellent position actually, it just depends on how long he's willing to sit and hold out to get what he wants."

The retired England international also praised Nwaneri's recent performances on the international stage.

"He played six games for England's Under-21s at the Euros where I thought he was excellent."

Robinson pointed out that any decision Arsenal make will also be influenced by financial fair play (FFP) and profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

"As an academy product as well, he's 100 per cent profit for FFP and PSR. With a year left on his contract, that may be something Arsenal look to do."

He concluded by highlighting the complexity of the situation: "It's an interesting one to keep an eye on, because there are many different variations of how this situation could play out at Arsenal."

Nwaneri became the youngest-ever Premier League player when he made his debut for Arsenal in 2022 at just 15 years old.

However, the Gunners are reportedly close to securing a deal for the young midfielder after presenting plans to guarantee him playing time.

His future continues to generate attention as top clubs monitor the developments in North London.

Adeyemi Adewale 

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