Arsenal have struck gold on “special” star who’s a bigger talent than Tel

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was keen on bringing in a new forward during the January transfer window.

With Gabriel Jesus missing the rest of the season due to injury, reducing the burden on Kai Havertz appeared to be a key priority for the Spaniard, especially as the Gunners are currently in a Premier League title race.

Sadly, they failed to do so with a number of targets going begging, notably in the final week of the window.

Who Arsenal missed out on in January

Ollie Watkins emerged as a transfer target towards the latter end of the transfer window. Arteta, despite his interest in the current Aston Villa star, failed to bring him down to the Emirates.

Elsewhere, Mathys Tel also looked like a viable option, especially considering his lack of action for Bayern Munich during the current season. It’s thought a loan move could be a possibility for the Gunners.

Tottenham Hotspur were also keen, but it soon emerged that he turned down a move to Spurs. However, a late twist in the hunt for the Frenchman meant that he agreed a late move to join the Premier League side on a temporary basis until the end of the campaign, inflicting more pain on Arteta.

Nevertheless, the manager has someone in his squad who has the potential to surpass Tel, particularly after his exploits against Manchester City on the weekend.

Arsenal’s very own Mathys Tel

Tel has operated predominantly as a winger during the embryonic stages of his career thus far, but Vincent Kompany has utilised him in a more central role throughout the current campaign.

While Belgian Leandro Trossard can do a similar job, playing out wide and in a more central role, Arteta has his very own teenage superstar who could surpass Tel. That generational talent is Ethan Nwaneri.

In comparison, Nwaneri is at home on the right wing, using his natural ability to not only create chances for others but also to cut inside regularly to bolster his own goal tally. That’s not to dismiss that he’s also played as more of a central striker in the academy at times too.

Nwaneri first came to public attention when he made his Premier League debut aged just 15 against Brentford in 2022, thus becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in the competition.

The 17-year-old was restricted to just a solitary appearance for the senior side last term, but Arteta has certainly placed his trust in the teenager during 2024/25 so far.

Indeed, Nwaneri has made 22 appearances for the Gunners, scoring seven times, which included a stunning effort against Man City in their recent 5-1 demolition of the champions.

It was a goal in consecutive games for the young Englishman who also found the net in a similar fashion in the Champions League last midweek.

Analyst Ben Pattison hailed the teenager following that goal against Girona, describing him as a “special, special talent.”

Quite. There is seemingly no limit to the levels he can reach, especially if he continues to be given a chance in the first team under Arteta.

Having emerged through the Hale End academy, playing for the U18s, U21s and Youth League sides, Nwaneri is now a fully fledged member of the senior team.

According to Transfermarkt, the London-born starlet is currently worth £25m, despite playing just 24 times for the North London side. Arteta has struck gold on their very own Tel, that there is no doubt.