Liverpool Cool Interest in Arsenal Star Ethan Nwaneri
Liverpool have cooled any notion of a summer move for Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri, despite holding genuine admiration for the teenager’s talent.
Talk of “intense, high-level talks” between the clubs exploded on Wednesday when a group describing themselves as a “team of five elite reporters” claimed on X that Liverpool and Arsenal had spent the day locked in negotiations over Nwaneri, with Arsenal supposedly looking to sell.
That claim has quickly hit a wall at Anfield.
Liverpool’s winger plan stays focused on PSG
Liverpool are in the market for a right-sided attacker to eventually succeed Mohamed Salah. Nwaneri, capable of operating off the right or as a No 10, briefly emerged as a surprise name on the radar, sitting well outside the headline targets.
The primary focus remains on Paris Saint-Germain duo Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. Liverpool have already been quoted a staggering €200million (£171m) for the pair and are working to drag that figure down, rather than diverting serious attention to Nwaneri.
Anfield Sector underlined that stance on X, stating there is clear appreciation for Nwaneri “as a footballer but no desire to complete a transfer currently as things stand.” For now, Liverpool’s recruitment team are not preparing a bid.
Arsenal’s stance: not for sale – unless the deal is right
Inside Arsenal, the situation is more nuanced than a simple “for sale” sign.
Asked about Nwaneri and fellow academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick acknowledged the growing noise around the club’s brightest youngsters.
“There’s been a lot of speculation around players,” he said. “I can’t stop other clubs being interested. I think Myles has had a fantastic end to last season and has started this one really well – we’re very, very happy with him.
“Ethan has had a great pre-season as well and I think it’s just a case of looking at what opportunities there are that will help both of those in terms of their career moving forward. We are not actively looking at selling those homegrown players but if the right opportunity came up – right for them and the club – we’d obviously consider that.”
So Arsenal are not pushing Nwaneri out of the door. But they are open to listening if a major proposal lands, especially one that suits both the player’s development and the club’s long-term planning.
Nwaneri market heats up away from Anfield
If Liverpool are stepping back, others are stepping forward.
Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano outlined the scale of interest on Monday, revealing that AC Milan, several German clubs and Galatasaray have all made contact with Arsenal over Nwaneri. Premier League rivals are also circling.
“There is a feeling at Arsenal that Premier League clubs are now going to knock on the door and try to get a deal done for Ethan Nwaneri,” Romano said, adding that the expectation is for “a lot of proposals and movement” around the 17-year-old.
The decision, though, will not be purely Arsenal’s. Nwaneri, his agents and his family will ultimately choose the pathway they believe best accelerates his career.
TEAMtalk reported on Thursday that Borussia Dortmund are actively hunting a new winger and hold concrete interest in Nwaneri, a club with a proven track record of turning English prospects into stars.
Valuations currently sit in the £35-50m range, with Arsenal also likely to insist on a buy-back clause to retain a measure of control over his future.
So Liverpool step aside, PSG talks roll on, and Nwaneri’s next move edges closer. The only real certainty now is that a 17-year-old playmaker has become one of this window’s most intriguing power plays.
