'He will develop': Per Mertesacker says Arsenal have a youngster who is 'like Martin Odegaard'
Today at 06:45 AM
Per Mertsesacker is the current head of the Arsenal academy, and it's fair to say the German is doing some great work with the young stars in north London.
Arsenal continue to produce incredible young players, and, right now, there are two teenage talents who are starting to make a real splash at first-team level.
Indeed, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri are starting to play more and more for Mikel Arteta at the moment, and speaking to The Athletic, Mertesacker has been discussing the two players' development.
Lewis-Skelly has been training as a left-back in recent times, and according to Mertesacker, the youngster could play in multiple positions.
However, Mertesacker says that Nwaneri's development will be much more straightforward, claiming that the teenager will develop into a number 10 in the mould of Martin Odegaard.
Ethan Nwaneri will be like Martin Odegaard
Mertesacker shared his verdict on Nwaneri's development.
The Arsenal chief says that it's clear where Nwaneri will develop, claiming that the midfielder will ultimately end up being like Odegaard in a creative midfield role.
"It doesn't take away that Myles could be an inverted full-back, a No 6 or a No 8 because he still carries those three positions within himself. They are developed 360, but within their frameworks of being a full-back or midfielder. In Ethan's case you see where he will develop and actually transfer his game into those pocket areas, like Martin Odegaard," Mertesacker said.
How highly rated is Ethan Nwaneri?
It's very exciting to hear that Nwaneri is an Odegaard-esque player, but just how far can this young man go?
Arsenal have had high hopes for Nwaneri for a while. In fact, according to David Ornstein, the Gunners have long seen Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly as the crown jewels of the academy.
"From the academy, when you talk to people around the club it's really just Ethan and Myles," Ornstein said.
Nwaneri made history a few years ago when he became the youngest player in Premier League history, and now, he's starting to get more and more gametime for the senior team.
Nwaneri is apparently set to get a big new contract at Arsenal, and it wouldn't be a surprise if that new deal led to increased chances in Mikel Arteta's starting XI.
The future could be very bright at the Emirates if Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri both continue on this trajectory.
