Arsenal have begun talks to sell an academy star, as they look to bring in Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid.
The Gunners are looking to pull off arguably the most ambitious move in their history by landing the Brazilian superstar, with FourFourTwo understanding that Arsenal's owners have agreed to smash their wage structure to sign Vinicius.
But there will have to be sales this summer in return, as the North Londoners look to balance the books – with one particular Hale End star for the chop.
Arsenal have engaged in talks to sell Ethan Nwaneri
Journalist Carlo Pellegatti has revealed via MilanNews that “talks have taken place and are at an advanced stage” to send Ethan Nwaneri to RB Leipzig, with a buy-back clause set to be included.
Nwaneri's breakthrough came in the 2024/25 season as an understudy to Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka – but following the acquisitions of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, the 19-year-old has seen a lot less game time, leading to a loan move to Marseille in January.
Nwaneri was sent to the south of France with a view to being a key starter under Roberto De Zerbi, but with the Italian's leaving the Stade Velodrome acrimoniously shortly after, the teenager ended up playing just nine times in Ligue 1, with successor Habib Beye only using him sparingly.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta recently claimed after a preseason rout of Girona that Nwaneri's difficulties at l'OM would “help him a lot in his career” – but seemingly opened the door to him returning to the first team when he commented that he “looks like a different man”.
Incredibly, Nwaneri received a Premier League debut before the 2022 World Cup to become the division's youngest-ever player at just 15 years old, with Arsenal showing him from a young age that there was a pathway to the first team during a time when the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea were angling for his signature.
Indeed, the wonderkid wouldn't actually compete directly with Vinicius if he joined, given that he primarily operates from the right, as a no.10 or at false nine: though Nwaneri represents a player who could attract a big fee if he moved on.
The North Londoners' record sale is still Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who moved to Liverpool in 2017 for around £35 million – and while Arteta's tenure has seen success in selling academy prospects such as Folarin Balogun, Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah, Nwaneri could be the biggest sale yet, given his age, potential, current low salary and contract situation.
The England youth international and fellow Hale Ender Myles Lewis-Skelly signed long-term extensions last summer, to keep them contracted at the Emirates until 2030.
With fellow teen sensation Max Dowman also breaking through at the moment and looking to collect minutes in the same positions as Nwaneri – and Madueke a far more established prospect still getting up to speed in N5 – Arsenal may well be resigned to having to balance out their squad in terms of who can play in that right half-space, given that Eze, Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz have all been the preferred as options to deputise for Odegaard in the past 12 months.
Nwaneri is worth €35m, as per Transfermarkt. Arsenal play Coventry City on the first day of the Premier League season.
