Ethan Nwaneri Becomes 3rd Youngest UCL Knockout Stage Scorer
Ethan Nwaneri became the third youngest player to score in the Champions League knockout rounds after Bojan Krikic and Jude Bellingham in Arsena\'s 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday. Nwaneri has now scored eight goals this season. Nwaneri, who turns 18 on March 21, has Arsenal buzzing.
“I’m joking … I won’t get tired of talking about Ethan,” Mikel Merino said. “He is so good, an unbelievable player. I have been saying it for a long time.”
Nwaneri has remarkable technique and a rare footballing intelligence for his age.
Merino played with another left-footed teenage prodigy for Spain this past summer in Lamine Yamal. Comparing Nwanari to Lamine is no longer crazy even if the Barcelona star is further along in his development.
“I am getting older, it’s kind of depressing,” Merino said with a smile. “I used to be one of the youngest on the pitch and now, when I check the teams, I find that everyone is younger than me. But football evolves and nowadays players come up to the first team even more ready to play at the highest level. They have better tools to learn and it’s great to have these young kids. My role is now more of a teacher. I can show some of my experience to them and the good thing is they are keen to learn.
“With Ethan, it’s not only about how good he is on the pitch. It’s also about his will, the intensity he puts into every single training day, the way he faces every game with the maturity that he has. He is not 17 years old, playing in the Premier League and Champions League, thinking he has already learnt everything. He is always willing to listen to the other guys, listen to the boss and that’s credit to him.”