Ethan Nwaneri is set to join an exclusive troupe of English players when Arsenal face PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
The 17-year-old has quickly become an indispensable member of Mikel Arteta‘s squad in the absence of Bukayo Saka, who is not expected back from a hamstring problem until after the March international break.
Nwaneri has been unable to complete the full 90 minutes in either of Arsenal’s last two Premier League games with Nottingham Forest or West Ham United, but the 2007-born talent was only suffering from cramp in both fixtures.
As a result, Nwaneri is almost nailed-on to reprise his role on the right wing at the Philips Stadion, which will see the Premier League’s youngest-ever player make his first start in the Champions League.
Such an appearance would be a particularly momentous one for Nwaneri, as only two English players have previously started a Champions League knockout game aged younger than 18, Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham.
Nwaneri to match Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden feat in Champions League
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Foden was also 17 when he started for Manchester City against Basel in a 2017-18 last-16 second leg, while a 17-year-old Bellingham was named in the first XI for Borussia Dortmund in a 2020-21 last-16 first leg versus Sevilla.
However, Nwaneri will fall just short of becoming Arsenal’s youngest-ever Champions League player in the knockout rounds, as Cesc Fabregas was 17 years and 309 days when he appeared against Bayern Munich in 2005.
Nwaneri will be 17 years and 348 days old by the time Tuesday’s first leg rolls around, where the England Under-19 international endeavours to build on an eye-catching record of seven goals in all tournaments this season.
Nwaneri started and scored in Arsenal’s last league-phase game, a 2-1 victory over Girona, where he produced his trademark finish of cutting inside from the right and bending an effort into the corner.
That narrow success marked Arsenal’s fourth straight win in the Champions League, and the Gunners are now aiming to earn five consecutive triumphs in a single edition for the first time since 2005-06, where they finished as runners-up to Barcelona.
Could Nwaneri be in contention for the next England squad?
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One man who will be intensely running the rule over this week’s Champions League games is England boss Thomas Tuchel, who will soon select his first-ever Three Lions squad for this month’s fixtures.
England commence their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign against Albania (March 21) and Latvia (March 24), and Tuchel will have to make do without two of England’s chief right-wing options in Saka and Noni Madueke due to injury.
Nwaneri may not have even made his debut for the Under-21s yet, but Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was promoted to the first team for Euro 2024 without having made a single appearance for that age group.
An Arsenal legend has said that Nwaneri should be in consideration for the next England squad, and with a strong display in midweek, it would be difficult to argue against calling him up for the World Cup qualifiers.
Fellow Hale End graduate Lewis-Skelly has also been backed for England selection, and the 18-year-old could benefit from a fresh injury to Newcastle United’s Lewis Hall to come into Tuchel’s thinking.
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