Three Arsenal academy stars promoted to first-team by Mikel Arteta including youngest player in Premier League history
MIKEL ARTETA has promoted three academy stars to his first-team squad for Arsenal’s pre-season preparations.
The Premier League’s youngest ever player Ethan Nwaneri is part of the trio who have joined up with the senior squad.
He has been joined by fellow teenagers Myles Lewis-Skelly and Reuell Walters.
They have travelled to Germany with the rest of the squad for the Gunners’ pre-season friendly against Nurnberg on Thursday.
Arsenal are then set to jet off to the USA for matches against the MLS All-Stars, Manchester United and Barcelona.
Arteta’s side will conclude their pre-season schedule at home to Monaco on August 2 before the Community Shield four days later.
They will then begin their Premier League campaign against Nottingham Forest at the Emirates Stadium on August 12.
Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history in September 2022.
The midfielder came off the bench against Brentford aged just 15 years, five months and 28 days.
He recently signed scholarship terms with the club as well as a professional deal for when he turns 17 in March 2024.
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Their had been fears Nwaneri would leave when his schoolboy terms expired amid interest from Manchester City and Chelsea.
Like Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly is also a 16-year-old midfielder and starred in the under-18s’ run to the final of last season’s FA Youth Cup.
Although he is yet to make his senior debut, Lewis-Skelly will turn pro in September after agreeing terms back in March.
Right-back Walters is also without a first-team appearance, but was on the bench in the league and Europa League last term.
The 18-year-old joined Arsenal in 2020 and previously spent four years in Tottenham Hotspur’s academy.
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