Ethan Nwaneri has been handed Arsenal No. 22 shirt ahead of new deal could rotate with Ødegaard as Madueke arrival frees up central path.
Ethan Nwaneri is set for an even bigger role at Arsenal this season after being handed the No. 22 shirt, a number recently vacated by David Raya following his switch to No. 1. The 17-year-old academy sensation is also close to signing a new long-term contract with the club, cementing his place in Mikel Arteta’s first-team plans.
Reminder of Arsenal squad number changes:
David Raya — #22 ➡️ #1. ✅
Ethan Nwaneri — #53 ➡️ #22. ✅ pic.twitter.com/rqUaguBmR5
— afcstuff (@afcstuff) July 16, 2025
Arsenal have made it very clear they’re betting big on Nwaneri’s development. After making history as the youngest-ever Premier League debutant at just 15, the Hale End product has steadily risen through the ranks and now looks poised to feature more regularly in the senior setup.
The decision to assign him the 22 shirt, previously worn by Emile Smith Rowe, Gaël Clichy, and most recently Raya, is another signal that the club view him as a real contributor moving forward. His first professional deal, signed earlier this summer, was only the beginning. Arsenal are now pushing to lock him into a longer-term contract that reflects both his talent and the expectations surrounding his role in the coming seasons.
Nwaneri can now play in his more comfortable central zones…
Interestingly, the dynamics of Arsenal’s squad suggest Nwaneri could see more time in central areas potentially rotating with Martin Ødegaard as a right-sided No. 8 or even operating as a hybrid 10 in certain games.
That shift becomes more plausible following the imminent arrival of Noni Madueke from Chelsea. With Bukayo Saka finally set to receive a natural right-wing backup, Arteta no longer needs to experiment with Kai Havertz or Nwaneri out wide to protect the England star. That unlocks Nwaneri for more central duties, the exact role he excelled in at youth level.
Arteta has praised Nwaneri’s ability to receive the ball in tight spaces, his maturity in decision-making, and his technical ability between the lines traits that align well with the profile of a central creator. While Ødegaard will naturally remain the starter and captain, there’s increasing belief inside the club that Nwaneri can handle rotational minutes in that role, especially in cup games and lower-stakes Premier League matches.
Nwanri in the middle is more of a natural fit for Arteta’s system
Tactically, Nwaneri’s touch and awareness allow him to play one or two-touch football at speed something Arteta demands in the final third. He has the intelligence to press from the front, the balance to skip past markers, and the vision to link play with overlapping full-backs or strikers dropping deep.
In short, he plays like an Arsenal midfielder. And with extra attacking reinforcements arriving this window, including Martin Zubimendi and potentially Viktor Gyökeres, the Gunners are giving themselves the kind of squad depth needed to allow young players like Nwaneri to grow without carrying too much burden.
This is a club that no longer just talks about trusting its academy… it’s doing it. From William Saliba to Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe to Reiss Nelson, and now Nwaneri, the pathway is clear. With the No. 22 shirt on his back and a new deal on the horizon, Ethan Nwaneri’s time is coming. Arsenal fans should be paying attention.
