Granit Xhaka has praised Ethan Nwaneri as a “special” player with a “great future”, but he believes Arsenal must ‘protect’ the 15-year-old after he became famous.
Nwaneri made history on Sunday when he released the . became Eredivisieyoungest player ever by showing up for the closing minutes of Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Brentford.
The midfielder was just 15 years and 181 days old when he was taken off the bench by the Arsenal manager Mikel Artetabeating the previous Premier League record of Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliot – who was 16 years and 30 days old.
Xhaka, who has coached Nwaneri at youth level while currently doing his coaching badges at Arsenal, has praised the teenage midfield, but he wants the youngster to be protected from the limelight as well.
‘We have to check the passport first! I’m kidding,” said Xhaka.
“To have a man of 15 who is 15 years younger than me… he looks old when I see him, but the club can be proud of a player like him.
“He has a great future, if I’m honest, I’m doing my coaching license and I’ve trained the Under-16s. You see a big difference with him and the other guys. He’s very, very special.
“Of course you have to protect him because he is still very young, but if he continues with his hard work, he has a big, big future.
“I spoke to a Brentford man and I told him this man was 15 and he looked at me and said, ‘F*** me, we look old!’
“So yes, of course, when you have 15 years difference, you think, ‘Okay, the time isn’t over but it’s coming’. But we enjoy him, he enjoys us as he has the quality.
“If I’m honest, he’s not much with us in training. I’ve seen him maybe two or three times now. But of course he’s very shy, but the time will come when he’ll be with us more, but you need him protect and help.
“Football is not everything for him and for us, but yes, the club will help him and the experienced players should help him.”