Revealed: Why Arsenal are 'concerned' over future of Ethan Nwaneri as wonderkid's contract runs down

Per The Athletic, the Gunners have concerns over Nwaneri's future as his contract continues to run down. His deal expires at the end of the season and the two parties are locked in talks over a renewal. While the England Under-21 international wants to stay, there are concerns over the fact he can speak to foreign clubs from January, and the Gunners want to resolve his future before then.

The 18-year-old has already made 39 first-team appearances for the club, and Arsenal have been forced to wait to open negotiations, because players under the age of 18 cannot sign deals that run for longer than three years. They are said to be hopeful of tying him down for five years, as they have with left-back Myles Lewis-Skelley. They are also aware of strong interest in Nwaneri from both the Premier League and abroad.

Nwaneri was involved in England's success at the European Under-21 Championships, playing 29 minutes in the final win over Germany, and talks could intensify now his international commitments are over this summer. The winger wants to ensure his development continues, and while the Gunners want him to stay and have no interest in selling him, they recognise that they cannot allow him to become a free agent, opening the door to a potential January exit if he refuses to commit.

Arsenal will hope to have Nwaneri's future sorted by the start of the 2025-26 season, particularly if he enjoys a strong opening to the campaign under boss Mikel Arteta.