Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri has been part of England’s World Cup preparations in Miami even though he is not part of Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad
As England’s stars emerged for training in West Palm Beach ahead of their final World Cup warm-up fixture against Costa Rica, it was impossible to ignore the presence of Arsenal’s Three Lions right alongside Ethan Nwaneri.
There is no getting away from the fact that it’s been a really tough and testing season for the teenager, who spent the second half of the campaign on loan in France with Marseille.
Playing time was minimal under Habib Beye and Nwaneri also had to watch on as his boyhood club got their hands on the Premier League title without him.
Still, it’s not been all doom and gloom as the attacking midfielder was invited to the United States to help England prepare for the World Cup.
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While he’s not part of the squad, he was one of only four top young talents selected, which at least indicates he’s highly thought of by Thomas Tuchel.
It’s been a valuable experience training with world-class players and you also can’t underestimate the confidence boost from sharing the locker room with the likes of Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.
Nwaneri’s pride was dented at Marseille because he was treated fairly badly and he had to endure a number of personal setbacks after moving out of his comfort zone.
Being around familiar faces in the Florida heat will certainly bolster his morale before he heads off for his summer break and returns to Arsenal for pre-season.
That’s not to say his future at the Emirates Stadium is certain; it isn’t, and there’s a good chance he could move onto pastures new.
However, ultimately, the past six months have been a valuable experience for him as he’s had to show mental fortitude to keep his head up when he’s probably naturally felt low.
Arsenal know – Tuchel does too – that they have a major talent on their hands and it still cannot be ruled out that he forces his way into Mikel Arteta’s thinking, even if that requires another loan.
What’s clear is that the only way is now up for Nwaneri. He won’t forget this season but things are certainly looking brighter from here on in now that he’s back around close friends and Premier League champions.
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