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Back in August, with 23-year-old Bukayo Saka his only Hale End starting XI representative, Arteta said: “I want to have a team that’s half academy, half foreign and win the Premier League and Champions League consistently.”
At the time, it sounded like a far-fetched press conference soundbite.
Midfielder Nwaneri has been around Arteta’s squad for a few years now, making his name in September 2022 as the youngest-ever Prem debutant at 15 years and 181 days before another cameo off the bench at West Ham in February 2024.
But this season, the pair have seized their moment together, taking on the challenges of the top flight side by side. Jack Wilshere – who managed both in Arsenal’s U18s – previously suggested their immense talent was “uncoachable” at times.
They have already made a combined 41 first-team appearances this term. Nwaneri has seven goals in 22 games. Lewis-Skelly has one goal in 19 games.
Arteta said: “They are very lucky to have each other. There is a bond there. For them, it is special.
“When you see those two walking next to each other, talking to each other, there is a chemistry there.”
Ahead of starting together for the first time in Arsenal’s 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Bolton in September, Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly snuck out onto the Emirates pitch before kick-off to soak it all up.
In last week’s 2-1 win at Girona, on his first Champions League start, Nwaneri scored a curling beauty to earn Man of the Match.
At full-time, as he had photos with his award by the side of the pitch, who was stood less than six feet away as his hype man? Of course, Lewis-Skelly.
In the 1-0 victory at Wolves last month, Lewis-Skelly was controversially sent off just before half time – on the day he and Nwaneri became the first two English players aged 18 or under to start a Prem match for Arsenal for 26 years.
Lewis-Skelly was emotional and distraught. Nwaneri had …
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