Former Liverpool forward Dean Saunders has lashed out at Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri over his stance on a contract extension. Nwaneri has entered the final year of his existing deal and has reportedly issued an ultimatum to the Gunners, with the teenage sensation yet to sign fresh terms. Nwaneri is highly rated by the north London side and they want to secure his long-term future.
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Nwaneri blasted over stance on contract extensionYoungster has sent an ultimatum to ArsenalTop European clubs interested in the attackerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The 18-year-old made 37 appearances for Arsenal in the 2024-25 campaign and scored nine goals across all competitions. As a result, the Gunners are eager to tie Nwaneri down to a new contract to keep him at the club well beyond 2026.
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Widely considered as one of the hottest prospects in European football at the moment, Nwaneri has attracted interest from several top clubs, including Chelsea, who are keeping an eye on the youngster's contract situation. The teenager reportedly wants a guarantee on regular game time under Mikel Arteta before agreeing on fresh terms at Arsenal.
WHAT HAS BEEN SAID
Nwaneri's stance has not gone down well with ex-Premier League star and pundit Saunders, who said: "Not when you are 18. Who do you think you are? You’re 18! You’ve done nothing. You’re learning the game. Listen to what [Bukayo] Saka says to you. You learn more from your peers than you do from any manager.
"It’s the players you are playing with every day, they are the people you try and impress — ‘Can I live in this company? Can I play in this company? Because my teammates are going to turn on me if I keep giving the ball away and not producing. He has to just learn, he’s got loads to learn."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?
Arteta's men are preparing to jet off to Singapore, where they are scheduled to play two pre-season friendlies against AC Milan and Newcastle on July 23 and 27, respectively. They will then travel to Hong Kong, where they will face arch-rivals Tottenham on July 31.