Arsenal set to hand £60,000-a-week contract in 'history-making' deal

Arsenal are set to hand Ethan Nwaneri a ‘history-making’ contract as they seek to pin down the teenager for the next five years.

Football Transfers have reported that preliminary talks are underway regarding a £60,000-a-week, five-year deal that would both secure the 17-year-old’s future at the Emirates as well as making him the third highest-paid teenager in the Premier League.

If he were to sign it, the rising midfield ace would be on par with Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo, who is also expected to sign a £60,000-a-week contract in the coming months.

The news of such an increased deal for Nwaneri comes after Football Transfer previously reported that the teenager would sign an improved contract once he turned 18, which takes place in March. Now further details have emerged with sources close to the Emirates club confirming that Arsenal remain ‘determined’ to tie down the England U19 international.

So far this campaign, Nwaneri has made two Premier League appearances and one EFL Cup match, in which he scored a brace.

Arteta is evidently hopeful of rewarding the 17-year-old for his continuously improving performances and the new deal would put Nwaneri among the highest-paid teenage footballers in the Premier League.

The Gunners head coach is also reportedly determined to keep young players that can break into the senior side in N7 after seeing several highly-rated academy stars, such as Reuell Walters and Chido Obi-Martin, leave in the summer.

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Handing Nwaneri such a lucrative deal would demonstrate the Gunners’ evident commitment in investing in their young talent - of which plenty has been on display so far this term, such as debuts for Jack Porter, Miles Lewis-Skelly and Josh Nichols - while also sending a clear signal to any potential suitors that they do not wish to sell the 17-year-old rising midfield sensation.