Mikel Arteta is looking to dethrone Liverpool and lead Arsenal to the Premier League title, placing his trust in the talent of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. However, the Spanish manager has explained why Nwaneri is currently banned from the senior dressing room.
Born in 2007, Nwaneri—alongside his close teammate Lewis-Skelly—has emerged as the latest star from Arsenal’s Hale End academy, which has produced legends like Tony Adams, Ashley Cole, and Cesc Fabregas.
Despite making his senior debut two years ago and becoming the youngest player in Premier League history, the 2024/25 season has been earmarked as his true breakthrough campaign. So far, he has made 22 appearances across all competitions.
The London-born prodigy, regarded as one of the best teenage talents in world football, made headlines this season with a stunning long-range goal in Arsenal’s 5-1 victory over Manchester City.
Ahead of Arsenal’s League Cup clash against Newcastle United—where they need to overturn a two-goal deficit—Arteta praised the strong connection between Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, highlighting their chemistry:
“When you see those two working together, talking to each other, there’s a bond, there’s chemistry,” Arteta said. “Right now, they’re still in different dressing rooms.”
Widely considered one of the best young managers in football, Arteta then revealed that Nwaneri is not allowed to prepare for matches alongside senior players like William Saliba, Martin Ødegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Declan Rice.
“Ethan can’t be in our dressing room, which is unbelievable. He has to get dressed somewhere else, even on matchdays. So, having someone close to him that he trusts and has confidence in is really important.”
This restriction is due to safeguarding rules, as Nwaneri is still only 17. According to The Telegraph, under club regulations, he is not permitted to use the first-team dressing room until he turns 18 on March 21, 2025. In contrast, Lewis-Skelly, who turned 18 in September, is already allowed to share the space with Arsenal’s senior players.
For now, Arteta and his team must focus on the task ahead—overcoming Eddie Howe’s Newcastle in the League Cup, with a potential trip to Wembley at stake, before facing struggling Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.