History-making midfielder Nwaneri should reject Chelsea's advances and stay at Arsenal.

Ethan Nwaneri has been linked with a move away from Arsenal ahead of next season.

Chelsea are monitoring the situation of the 15-year-old as he is yet to commit his future to the Gunners, approximately three months before the expiration of his schoolboy deal. 

Nwaneri became the Premier League's youngest debutant when he came on for Fabio Vieira in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Brentford in September 2022. So, it is unsurprising that he is being courted by other English heavyweights.

Despite interest from the likes of Chelsea, the Nigerian-eligible midfielder would be better off staying at Arsenal. The reason behind this is not far-fetched.

The north London team has a more traceable history of giving opportunities to young players who would go on to become vital players for the senior team .

In simple terms, the chance of a youth team player playing for the first team is brighter at Arsenal than it is at Chelsea. 

The likes of Bukayo Saka,Gabriel Martinelli, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson are all products of Arsenal's youth system and are now first team players. 

Hale End products Folarin Balogun and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have also been promoted to the first team but have been loaned out to Stade de Reims and Southampton respectively. 

Chelsea would rather spend lavishly on foreign players than give opportunities to young players. Except for the cases of Reece James and Mason Mount

The fact that Nwaneri has featured for Arsenalin the Premier League says a lot about their readiness to give opportunities to young players.

This is not to say Nwaneri cannot go on to feature regularly for Chelsea's first team if he moves to Stamford Bridge but his path and prospect of playing regular first-team football is clearer and greater at Arsenal.

If the Nigerian-eligible player's representatives can agree on  a deal with Arsenal, Nwaneri would be better off playing for the north Londoners rather than Chelsea.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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