Milan Transfer Market: A Turning Point for Arsenal’s Rising Star—Who Is Ethan Nwaneri?
Milan continues to keep a close eye on Ethan Nwaneri, the Arsenal attacking midfielder who is on the list of potential signings that Ruben Amorim compiled for his meeting with Gerry Cardinale. The Gunners’ 2007-born prospect had been linked to the Rossoneri for several weeks, but interest had initially cooled following the London club’s demands.
In fact, Arsenal has no intention of letting the player go for less than 40 million euros—a figure Milan is unlikely to meet for a 19-year-old. The latest developments, however, are giving Rossoneri fans—enchanted by the English Under-21 international’s dribbling and technical skills—new hope: the player wasn’t even called up for the Community Shield match against Manchester City.
This suspicious omission appears to be a message to suitors: the player may indeed be available. On the eve of the match, Arsenal manager Arteta had been clear in his press conference: “Nwaneri has great qualities, but he needs to play,” the Spanish coach had said, emphasizing that the youngster would likely not get the playing time he desires this season. Marseille is also interested in him.
Ethan Nwaneri was born in London on March 21, 2007. Of Nigerian descent, he is an attacking midfielder capable of playing both behind the striker and on the wings. Highly technical and creative, he possesses excellent dribbling skills. Nwaneri came up through Arsenal’s youth system, where he made his first-team debut in 2022 at just 15 years old. In 2026, he spent the first six months of the season on loan at Marseille, where he played nine matches in Ligue 1, scoring two goals. He is a regular starter for England’s Under-21 team, with whom he won a European championship in that age group.
However, competition for the player is fierce: Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig have already made it known that they are ready to enter the negotiations, making the race for the English talent anything but easy for the Rossoneri. The interest in Nwaneri comes amid a Rossoneri transfer market that is still in disarray, with Amorim having provided the front office with a specific list of targets and players to be released. The Portuguese coach has already ruled out several players from the current roster—including Tomori, Fofana, Odogu, and Nkunku—and at the same time has identified the players he wants to strengthen the team in various positions on the field. In addition to Nwaneri, Milan is also closely monitoring the situation of Rodrigo Mora, a young Portuguese attacking midfielder born in 2007 who is owned by Porto, whose name came up during discussions between the two clubs regarding the transfer of Santiago Gimenez. This is a name that particularly intrigues Amorim, who knows his compatriot well and appreciates his qualities.
