Few youth talents in Europe are putting up numbers like Ethan Nwaneri. The 17-year-old Arsenal midfielder scored nine goals in all competitions last season but what’s truly staggering is that he did so from just 1.9 non-penalty expected goals.
The data, highlighted by @fbref, underscores just how clinical and instinctive Nwaneri has become in front of goal, despite operating primarily in deeper or wide midfield roles. His finishing, decision-making, and ability to take high-risk chances already put him in rare company among teenage talents.
Ethan Nwaneri scored 9 goals in all competitions last season… from 1.9 non-penalty xG. 😳
[@fbref] pic.twitter.com/RzipZ6ozor
— Alex (@alexmoneypenny) August 3, 2025
Nwaneri breaking the model at just 17
Expected goals (xG) metrics are designed to evaluate the quality of a player’s shooting opportunities. Scoring nine times from 1.9 xG means Nwaneri has outperformed his shot quality by over 370% an elite-level return by any standard.
For context, even established Premier League finishers rarely exceed their xG totals by this margin. Nwaneri’s ability to turn low-percentage chances into goals at youth and U21 level is a sign that he’s operating with composure, intelligence, and precision far beyond his age group.
Arsenal’s midfield future looks frightening
With Myles Lewis-Skelly already in first-team (and given he is originally a #6 converted into LB) and Max Dowman lighting up the preseason, Nwaneri’s emergence as a goal-scoring threat from midfield adds another layer to Arsenal’s long-term blueprint.
He’s comfortable in multiple positions, attacking midfield, wide left, or even as an advanced No. 8 and Arteta has already handed him Premier League minutes. With numbers like these, it’s only a matter of time before he becomes a regular presence in the matchday squad.
Author Opinion
There’s hype and then there’s data-backed dominance. Ethan Nwaneri isn’t just “one to watch.” He’s already outperforming most pros statistically, and doing it from midfield at 17 years old. If this is just the beginning, Arsenal may be sitting on one of the most lethal youth finishers in English football.
