XHAKA HAILS YOUNG GUN
Granit impressed by ‘special’ talent Nwaneri
GRANIT XHAKA has called Ethan Nwaneri “very, very special” after revealing he is coaching the 15-year-old wonder kid as part of his UEFA B Licence.
Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history after coming off the bench in the 3-0 win at Brentford.
The schoolboy joined Arsenal at 14 and has played for the different age group sides before getting his first call-up to the senior team.
Swiss star Xhaka, who turns 30 next week, said: “He is 15 years old and 15 years younger than me! He not only makes me feel old.
“I spoke with one Brenford guy and I told him this guy was 15 and he looked at me and said: ‘*** me, we are looking old!’
“He looks old when I see him but the club can be proud of a player like him. I am doing my coaching licence and I have trained the under-16s.
“I am trying to do my next step. It depends how often — this week was twice as we did not have a midweek game.
“You can see a big difference with him and the other guys. He is very, very special.
Hard
“Of course you have to protect him as he is very young but if he keeps going like this with his hard work he has a big, big future.”
Xhaka, who said he was learning from watching Mikel Arteta, added: “If I am honest, he is not with us a lot in training. I have maybe seen him twice or three times now.
“He is very shy, of course, but the time will come when he will be more with us but you have to protect him and help him. “Football is not everything for him and for us but yes, the club will help him and the experienced players have to help him. But we are enjoying him, he is enjoying us as he has the quality.”
The Swiss midfielder is also enjoying a fresh start with Arsenal fans after getting stripped of the captaincy in 2019 when he reacted to abuse following his substitution against Crystal Palace.
Brought back into
PRAISE: Granit Xhaka of Arsenal the team by Arteta, his on-field performances and his no-nonsense behaviour in the Amazon Prime All Or Nothing series have seen him return to favour.
His name was chanted by the travelling support at the end of the Brentford game where he captained the side.
Honest
“I never ever thought one day this would happen, if I am being honest,” he said.
“To be in front of them, to have them singing my name is very, very special and emotional. I always wanted that.
“I always wanted to give them something back after what happened. We were working a lot to try and change their minds of what they had for me and I am happy for what has happened.
“There is more to come from myself.
“After what happened three years ago, to be the captain and be in front of this team and to have the fans back me means a lot for me.”
‘You have to protect him as he is very young’