Arsenal are not planning to loan out Ethan Nwaneri in January, despite growing interest from Premier League rivals, with West Ham among the clubs keeping close tabs on the teenager.
A number of sides have been checking on Nwaneri’s situation ahead of the winter window, but Arsenal’s stance has been made clear: they want the highly-rated youngster to stay in north London as part of Mikel Arteta’s squad.
West Ham are understood to be leading the list of teams to express interest, with Graham Potter’s side looking at options to strengthen their attacking group for the second half of the season. However, Arsenal currently have no intention of letting Nwaneri leave on a temporary deal.
The 17-year-old has been viewed internally as one of the club’s brightest academy talents, and Arsenal see his development as best served by continuing to train and compete alongside the first team rather than heading out on loan.
Nwaneri has already caught the eye with his calmness on the ball and ability to affect games in the final third, and Arsenal’s position reflects the belief that he can play a bigger role as the campaign goes on.
With January approaching and interest building, Arsenal are expected to hold firm, leaving would-be suitors to look elsewhere if they cannot persuade the Gunners to change their mind.
