Ethan Nwaneri facing 'few weeks' out injured with muscular problem, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirms
Updated 06/01/2025 at 17:40 GMT
Arsenal have suffered another injury blow as Ethan Nwaneri is set to be out "for a few weeks" after picking up a muscular injury against Brighton. The 17-year-old made his second Premier League start at the Amex and put his side ahead with a first-half goal, before being forced to depart at half-time. He joins Bukayo Saka, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Raheem Sterling on the sidelines.
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Mikel Arteta confirmed that Ethan Nwaneri is set to face a spell on the sidelines and join Arsenal’s growing injury list.
The 17-year-old was forced off at half-time during the 1-1 draw at Brighton after putting his side ahead in the first half.
It was his second top-flight goal in his second Premier League start of the season and was likely to feature more with Bukayo Saka injured, but Arteta confirmed on Monday the forward was likely to be sidelined for "a few weeks".
"Unfortunately, he has picked up an injury and is going to be out for a few weeks," Arteta said while speaking ahead of Arsenal's Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Newcastle. "It’s a muscular injury.
"He has earned the right to step up and play for us, and now he starts to have some games, some big games as well, and impact those games which he’s done in different positions as well.
"So I’m gutted for him because it’s going to stop that a little bit. But it’s another step in that development phase that he’s in, but I’m really happy with the way he is going."
The youngster joins Saka, Ben White, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Raheem Sterling on the sidelines.
Nwaneri has made 18 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring five goals and impressing in his back-to-back Premier League starts against Brentford and Brighton.
In September 2022, he became the youngest Premier League player in his first-team debut against Brentford at the age of 15, and signed his first professional contract in March 2024.
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Arteta not sweating on January transfers
Despite having several important players ruled out for the foreseeable future, Arteta made it clear that Arsenal would not panic buy in the January transfer window.
When asked if the club will have to be reactive in the current window, the Spaniard said: "Hopefully not because we set very high standards, and we really want to only have players here that are coming from our academy, or we have to sign players to really elevate and impact the team.
"Otherwise, just bringing in bodies doesn’t help us."
Speaking before the Brighton game, he insisted that any January signings would be right for the club, saying: "If we panic it means we are not prepared, and a big thing is preparation.
"When you are well-prepared, your decision will be better, very well processed.
"Then we will decide if we want to sign a player – is he performing: yes or no? That can be a good decision or a bad decision after that."
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Arteta was, however, hopeful that Kai Havertz would be fit to return for the Carabao Cup game against Newcastle on Tuesday.
The German missed the 1-1 draw with Brighton due to illness, but Arteta was cautiously optimistic that he would be ready for the semi-final clash.
"I hope so," Arteta said of Havertz. "But I don’t want to say yes because last time I said he would be fit, and he wasn’t fit."
Arsenal host Newcastle at the Emirates in Tuesday’s first leg against Newcastle, and travel to St James' Park in the reverse fixture on February 5.
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