Nigerian Football Federation woos Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri to the Super Eagles

NIGERIAN Football Federation (NFF) officials have stepped up plans to recruit Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri after he burst on to the limelight last week when he became the youngest ever player to feature in the English Premier League.

Nwaneri became the youngest player ever to play in the English Premier League at 15 years and 181 days on September 18 when he came on in injury time for Arsenal against Brentford. He shattered the previous record held by Harvey Elliot of Liverpool who appeared for Fulham at the age of 16 years and 30 days.

According to online portal TribalFootball, football agents are now scrambling to sign Nwaneri and he is also in the sights of the NFF. Having already featured for England at youth level, if the NFF succeed in getting Nwaneri to play for Nigeria, he will have to undergo a Fifa switch.

Born in 2007, Nwaneri only made his debut for the Arsenal under-21 side this season but he has clearly caught the eye of manager Mikel Arteta with the youth teams and in training. He began training with the first-team squad and was subsequently handed a huge opportunity by being named in a match-day squad at senior level for the first time last weekend.

At the Brentford Community Stadium last weekend, he came on in the 92nd minute for goal scorer Fabio Viera, who was also making his debut for the club. Arsenal went on to win the game 3-0 and according to reports, the club is now looking to offer the youngster a new long term deal.