‘SPECIAL TALENT NWANERI MUST BE PROTECTED’

XHAKA SAYS 15-YEAR-OLD DEBUTANT HAS BIG FUTURE WITH ARSENAL BUT REQUIRES CAREFUL DEVELOPMENT

- Simon Collings

GRANIT XHAKA labelled Ethan Nwaneri “very, very special” but has urged Arsenal to protect the 15-year-old after he became the youngest player in Premier League history to take the field.

Born in 2007, the year after the Emirates Stadium opened, Nwaneri made his debut as a late substitute in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Brentford.

Aged just 15 years and 181 days, Nwaneri took more than six months off the previous record, held by now- Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott, who made his own bow for Fulham 30 days after his 16th birthday.

Xhaka says he was already well aware of Nwaneri’s potential, having worked with Arsenal’s youth sides as part of his coaching badges, but warned of the need to support a player who will now carry lofty expectations, having been a virtual unknown a week ago.

“We have to check the passport first!” said Xhaka. “To have a guy who is 15, who is 15 years younger than me, he looks old when I see him, but the club can be proud of a player like him.