Ethan Nwaneri names the two Arsenal stars mentoring him and Myles Lewis-Skelly

Ethan Nwaneri has been one of Arsenal’s breakout stars this season along with fellow teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly and he has revealed that both players are being guided by Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka

Kids of fame Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are being mentored by Arsenal’s top guns Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka. At 18, the academy graduates could become Champions League winners next month – but it’s no surprise to Nwaneri that they are driving the Gunners’ young generation towards glory.

The quicksilver forward and England left-back Lewis-Skelly have forged a double act through the age groups at Arsenal – just as Rice and Mason Mount were once inseparable contemporaries as schoolboys at Chelsea.

After scoring his ninth goal of the season in the 4-0 rout of doomed Ipswich, Nwaneri revealed: “This is what we’ve spoken about since we were young – breaking in the team together.

“We’ve just had our eyes on that vision and the fact that we’ve been able to do it, it’s amazing. Declan and Bukayo, that’s the two who are very close to us. They help us out, they keep us grounded, they lift us up when we need it as well. They’ve been brilliant with us.

“It’s mainly just personal stuff like how they dealt with things when they were first coming up, and how they dealt with the pressure, and maybe when they didn’t play well, or when they did do well, and just managing that.’

READ MORE: Arsenal ace Declan Rice given touching gift from Ed Sheeran and jokes about linking upREAD MORE: Arsenal news: Mikel Arteta shares Bukayo Saka concern as Roy Keane speaks out

At some clubs, a dressing room of big beastss can be a daunting prospect for teenagers breaking through into the first team if they are perceived as a threat to established senior professionals.

But Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have had no hang-ups since they were fast-tracked into the first team group at the Emirates. Nwaneri, who became the youngest Premier League player in history when he made his debut against Brentford aged just 15 years and 181 days back in 2022, said: “That’s testament to the way that the players treat us. They treat us like we’re men, ever since we first came in. They’ve treated us well, like we’re part of the team, so that’s just how we feel now.

“I wouldn’t say I was nervous at first, but there was a different pressure that I was feeling and I think I saw that was a good thing – that it shows I care, that I’m feeling these things. I was fine with all that sort of stuff. I’m not surprised because this is what I’ve envisioned in my head, this is what I always wanted to do. So, it’s no surprise I’ve achieved it.

“Me and Myles, we talk every second of every day. We’re always just talking about everything. We look back on the old times, we look into the future, it’s everything. We’ve got loads of photos of us two from young – loads of pictures and videos of us together.

“We’ve been pushing each other since we were young – one person will start playing up (a level), then the next will start playing up, one person will start scoring, then the next will start scoring. That’s just how me and him work. It’s not competitive, but we kind of raise each other’s standards, and that’s so good to have as a friend.

“It’s been tough for me adapting to a new position (on the right wing), but that’s part of football. If the manager asks you to play somewhere else, you have to do it to the highest level.

“It’s been up and down, but I’ve enjoyed the challenge, definitely. Naturally, I’ve always been a No.10 – I’ve played as a No.10 my whole life. But I can play as a striker as well. Right wing is a new one for me, but now I’ve liked the challenge of a new position and I can play anywhere the team needs me.

“It’s been so crazy, but this is what the manager wants. He’s had this vision in his head of us, he wants us to win everything, and he’s bringing us to that level, and we’re getting closer and closer every week.”

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