Arsenal fans may wait years for Nwaneri, with Arteta planning Saka-style growth

IT'S the bigger part, not the brains, that still leaves Mikel Arteta hesitant when it comes to Ethan Nwaneri.

Nwaneri, a 17-year-old Arsenal academy player, goes down in the history books of the Premier League as the youngest ever player in the competition. He joined Brentford as a 15-year-old substitute in September 2022.

And this season has provided a glimpse of the young midfielder's seemingly limitless potential.

Three Carabao Cup goals in his first two Arsenal starts were followed by notable substitute appearances at Tottenham, Newcastle and Inter Milan.

For Arsenal fans, the next logical step is for Nwaneri to get a Prem start.

The Emirati faithful are desperate for a new teen sensation to idolize and worship.

That's why social media erupted when Arteta claimed: “The boy is ready” after the 5-1 Carabao Cup third round win over Bolton – with two goals from Nwaneri on his first start.

There is no doubt he has the technical ability to make an impact in this Arsenal first team, but these days it is Prem's proven physicality that is really winning over Arteta.

The Gunners boss is obsessed with height and power and since beginning his tenure in December 2019, Arteta has transformed his team from tiny toddlers to towering titans.

It is understood that certain players under Arteta are doing heavy lifting in the gym for three or more sessions a week to get them to the required level.

And now staring at his starting XI is like staring at a city of skyscrapers. William Saliba, Gabriel, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Thomas Partey are all 6ft tall and stocky.

This obsession with big men has also affected recruitment. Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino [both 6ft 2in] were signed this summer with exactly that in mind.

Nwaneri may have the maturity of a seasoned professional, but with the body of a 6-foot-4 child, there still seems a long way to go before Arteta takes the plunge.

And with giants like Rice, Partey and Merino to choose from in midfield, Arteta is unlikely to deviate from what he knows gets results in the Prem.

The good news is that Arteta has shown patience in waiting for players to strengthen their powers in different ways – and it is certainly paying off.

The best example is Bukayo Saka – a spindly babyface when he made his debut under Unai Emery as a 17-year-old in November 2018, and had hardly changed by the time Arteta took over.

To protect him from being bullied by physically superior opposition, Arteta kept Saka at left-back until he was ready in terms of size to take on a demanding right-wing role.

Saka's mentality and dedication off the field have also been crucial: he has installed a home gym at home, put in extra rehabilitation hours to stay fit and has admitted to relying on his mother's nutritious Nigerian cooking.

Although Saka's talent was evident in those early years, Arteta still demanded more from him physically. The big change came in the summer of 2023, when Saka's body shape changed from boy to man. It took four years, but Saka is now at the expected level.

Ben White was another. A lean talent with fresh cheeks when he joined from Brighton as a 23-year-old for £50 million in July 2021. He was criticized for being too soft on his Gunners Prem debut in a 2-0 defeat at Brentford.

Three years later, White drove Arsenal fans crazy when pre-season footage emerged of the right-back pressing 40kg dumbbells on the bench.

Arteta's other avenue for growth is through the credit market, sending a 19-year-old Saliba to Nice and Marseille between 2020 and 2022 to gain traction in men's football.

Now the French centre-back is one of the best and most intimidating defenders in the division, rivaling the likes of Erling Haaland in terms of speed and strength.

It doesn't always work. Arteta signed Fabio Vieira for around £30 million from Porto in June 2022 and immediately put him on a program to make him more muscular.

For whatever reason, the 24-year-old playmaker never really seemed to adapt to the Prem and was loaned out to Porto this summer in an attempt to revive his career.

It's unlikely that Nwaneri will have a major growth spurt anytime soon to suddenly become a starter; his physical development will take time and Arteta will continue to protect him.

But as 5ft 10in Saka has shown, it will be worth the wait.