Arteta could already have Arsenal’s answer to Endrick in Hale End star

Handing the youth an opportunity is key to the long-term success of any club, but even more so for a side like Arsenal.

Bukayo Saka is by far the biggest prospect to have thrived in the first team since progressing via the Hale End academy in recent years, but there’s plenty of talent waiting for a chance to shine.

The Gunners’ number seven will without doubt be a role model to those keen to replicate his exact footsteps, but the academy players will also be inspired by the rise to stardom of a certain Endrick.

The Brazilian has always been a one-of-a-kind prospect, but he truly announced himself in Europe last week on international duty, scoring against both England and Spain.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at an Arsenal U21 diamond who could be their answer to Endrick.

Endrick’s rise to success

At just 16 years of age, highly-rated wonderkid Endrick made his competitive debut for Brazilian side Palmeiras, becoming the club’s youngest debutant.

However, the centre forward was far from suffocated by the hostile atmosphere and experienced opposition, also taking on the status of the second-youngest goalscorer ever in the Serie A, Brazil’s top flight.

During his first real campaign in the first-team setup, Endrick helped Palmeiras achieve a consecutive league title, scoring 11 goals in 31 matches.

This form saw the youngster attract attention from across Europe before eventually signing a £60m deal to join Real Madrid this summer.

But what if Arsenal had their own version of Endrick, who’s just waiting to be given a break?

Arsenal’s answer to Endrick

With the fight for Champions League glory and Premier League triumph set to continue until the end of the season, finding an opportunity to give the youth a chance has been difficult for Mikel Arteta.

However, just like Endrick, Ethan Nwaneri made his competitive debut at an extremely young age, which clearly highlights just how talented the special ace is and how much the Spaniard believes in him.

The now-17-year-old was handed his first competitive appearance for the Gunners against Brentford in 2022, where the versatile ace took to the pitch at just 15 years of age, the youngest ever Arsenal debutant.

Despite holding such a prestigious record, Nwaneri has continued to work tirelessly in the academy to impress, mainly playing as an attacking midfielder this campaign.

As you can see by the table above, the “special” gem, as described by U23 Scout Antonio Mango, has been on fire, taking on more goal-scoring responsibility than creativity, with 14 goals and three assists in just 15 matches.

The number 63 is on a particular hot streak at the moment after being handed a short cameo by Arteta during the 6-0 win over West Ham United, scoring in his last five matches for club and country.

Although the next step for Nwaneri may be away from the Gunners, potentially on a loan, Endrick is the prime example that if you’re good enough, then opportunities will present themselves.

Arteta has certainly shown his intent to include the youngster in his squad, and with the England U-17 international signing his first professional contract this week, Arsenal well and truly have a superstar in the making.