'Wonderful': Gary Lineker and Micah Richards both rave about the same Arsenal youngster
03/25/2025 05:15 AM
After a quiet few years at the Hale End Academy, Arsenal are now inundated with excellent young talent on the first team scene.
Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have made their breakthrough at Arsenal and are both already crucial players for Mikel Arteta.
And in the years to come 15-year-old Max Dowman will also be following in those footsteps, a youngster who some consider to be an even bigger talent.
In the past Arteta was criticised by some Arsenal fans for not using the club's academy more often, but it simply seems as if the Spaniard was waiting for the right level of talent to be ready.
And after Lewis-Skelly's first two England appearances over the international break, it's clear that Arteta is getting it right.
Gary Lineker and Micah Richards praise Ethan Nwaneri for England
That being said, Nwaneri also played for England under-21s in games against France and Portugal over the last few days.
And whilst the Arsenal youngster only made a short cameo against France, he starred in a 4-2 win against Portugal, in which he scored his first goal at that level.
Speaking on 'The Rest Is Football' podcast, both Gary Lineker and Micah Richards were seriously impressed by Nwaneri's efforts.
Alongside Alan Shearer, the duo were asked if Nwaneri should actually be playing for England – even if they preferred just to focus on praising the 18-year-old for now.
Lineker begun: "I think he’s knocked one in for the under-21s."
Richards replied: "Yes, wonderful goal as well."
Lineker: "Great goal."
Richards: "He took it in the pocket of space, he touched it, he turned. He looked like he was going to play one – he come back inside and bent it on his left hand side."
Shearer added: "We’ve seen that with Arsenal already this season, the way he likes to jink, go that way, and then come back in on his left hand side and whip that ball in and that was his goal for the under-21s, wasn’t it?
Lineker: "Yeah, superb goal. He’s got a real talent."
Mikel Arteta has his first Ethan Nwaneri problem
In addition to both pundits, Declan Rice was also impressed by Nwaneri after watching him score for England's younger age category.
Of course, it's going to be very interesting to see how Arteta uses Nwaneri once Bukayo Saka is back to fitness next month.
It's a realistic proposition that Saka will be ready to face Real Madrid in Arsenal's Champions League double-header.
And if Saka is ready to start, it would already be odd to watch Nwaneri return to the bench given what he's been contributing in recent months.
A superb young talent and Arsenal will soon renew Nwaneri's contract – excellent news for all associated with the club.
