Arsenal talent Ethan Nwaniri has named Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka as the big players who have helped him the most to settle into the Arsenal first team this season.
Nwanyere made history in September 2022 when he set up his goal The senior debuts at just 15 years and 181 days oldbecoming Arsenal's youngest player ever, as well as the youngest player in the English Premier League as well.
He was so young that Nwaniri did not sign his first professional contract until March this year, but he has now become a permanent member of Mikel Arteta's first team. So far in the 2024/25 season, the 17-year-old has made 16 appearances, including three starts and four goals.
Asked by arsenal.com “There are a lot,” Nwaniri said first-team stars helped ease the transition to senior football, but he went on to talk about only two.
He explained: “Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka were great for me, and not only me but all the young players.”
“They help us with everything, and someone like Bukayo has already been on that journey. That's really important – he knows what we're going through, he can help me, he gives me insights on what can help me. He's very good to talk to because he's very calm and humble, but I Also I try to watch it as much as possible and learn that way.
“Martin, too, was playing when he was 15 as well, so to have that experience with me in the dressing room is great.”
Saka joined Arsenal when he was seven years old and made his first-team debut in late 2018, just weeks after turning 17. The winger was a regular starter at the age of 18 and has already made 250 appearances. Odegaard was just a teenage prodigy, having trained with the first team at Strømsgodset in Norway since he was 13 and making his debut at 15. A month after he turned 16 years old, Join Real Madridhaving been pursued by all the leading clubs across Europe in his very public transfer pursuit.
