The grass is usually not greener on the other side.
It is crazy that the future of a 16-year-old footballer with a single minute of professional playing time under his belt has become a national story. But that is exactly what has happened with Ethan Nwaneri.
Nwaneri became the youngest ever player to appear in the top flight of English football back in September when he came off the bench in second half stoppage time against Brentford.
At the time, Nwaneri was stalling over signing scholarship with Arsenal – and reports of Chelsea and Manchester City circulating.
Some felt that Mikel Arteta giving Nwaneri game time was to show that he had a path to the first team. Others claimed it was financially driven; playing a senior game (even just one) is taken into account when compensation is determined.
Nwaneri, who has been with Arsenal since he was 9-years-old, disappeared from the Arsenal first team scene after making his debut. He was not selected in another match day squad. Not even as Arteta rested and rotated for the Europa League and League Cup.
This Friday Nwaneri is free to sign scholarship terms with whoever he wants, and it is unlikely that team will be Arsenal.
Chelsea and Manchester City and still leading the way, and he is expected to sign on for whoever gives him the biggest deal. At just 16, it is sad that a player is focused so much on who will pay him the most rather than who will be best for his career.
City and Chelsea might dominate youth football, but this is more due what they invest in recruiting the best young players from around England. Both clubs pay huge money to these young talents.
But just because they have the best youth systems, it does not mean that they produce the best senior players.
The last Man City youth team prospect to go on to become a regular first team player for them was Phil Foden. He made his debut oin 2017.
Two other youth prospects saw some game time this season – Rico Lewis and Cole Palmer. Lewis certainly has the potential to become a squad player for City. Maybe more.
What is interesting about both Lewis and Palmer was they were not “recruited in” at a later age.
Palmer and Lewis both joined Manchester City at 8-years old. Like Foden, they have only ever been in Man City’s academy.
In that time, City have signed hundreds of kids at the age of 15/16 from clubs in and around England. Jadon Sancho is the only one to have made an impact – and he needed a move away to get his chance.
Chelsea are no different.
Non-league football is filled with players Chelsea poached from other clubs. They all follow the same path.
Chelsea sign them at 14/15/16, they dominate youth football, get loaned out 4 or 5 times, then drop down the leagues.
A lot was made about Chelsea’s youth system when they won the Champions League final in 2021. And it was impressive.
Chelsea’s match day squad contained Reece James, Mason Mount, Andreas Christensen, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Billy Gilmour. All of whom spent different times at the club. Tammy Abraham also saw a lot of game time that year.
By the end of this summer, James could be the only one plying his trade in a Chelsea shirt.
This explosion of Cobham talent was more by luck than design – a transfer ban in 2019 forced Frank Lampard to have to promote the likes of James and Mount, and rely on Abraham upfront. A year later, they had all progressed to become key components of Thomas Tuchel’s squad.
But as new players have come in under new owners Clearlake Capital, it is the academy players being discarded.
You would be very surprised if Mount, Ruben Loftus Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Hudson-Odoi or Trevoh Chalobah were still at the club next season.
Like City, there best young talents were with them as youngsters.
Lewis Hall, Gallagher, Mount, Loftus Cheek, James, Chalobah and Hudson-Odoi were all at the club as U8s.
Andreas Christensen is probably the last player recruited at a later age into the Cobham set-up to make an impact at the club.
Nwareni will not be the first teenager to leave Arsenal. In fact one made the exact same journey last season as Nwaneri
12 months ago, Omari Hutchinson decided his future was away from Arsenal and joined Chelsea (ironically he was released by them at 9-years-old)
Maybe it was because he feared he would get little game time at Arsenal with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli on the wings. Or maybe it was down to money. The official line was that he just saw Chelsea as the better fit for his future.
Arsenal wanted to loan him out for a season to a Championship side to help with his development. Chelsea reportedly informed him that he will be part of the first team squad.
Last season, Hutchinson played jsut 2 games for Chelsea – a total of 49 minutes. It is likely he will now join a Championship side on loan.
He has basically wasted a year of his career by moving to Chelsea.
Had he agreed a new deal with Arsenal, he would have spent 2022/23 on loan and, if performances justified, could have been part of Arteta’s first team plans this year.
Instead he is going to be sent on loan a year later. And Chelsea have bought so many players in the last 12 months he will unlikely ever pull on their shirt again for a senior game.
We predicted exactly what would happen with Hutchinson 12 months ago.
Over the years we have also seen the likes Stephy Mavididi (Juventus) and Marcus McGuane (Barcelona) move to pastures new, turning down scholarship terms.
Nwaneri leaving will be a big story. It will be reported that we are losing one of our best young players and Arsenal will be highly criticised when he leaves.
Ignore the noise. Myles Lewis-Skelly has signed his scholarship. And many at the club beleive he is the better player.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 