Playing in the right-sided No 8 (central midfield) role usually reserved for Odegaard, he looked sharp against Milan: first a stepover and spin left Strahinja Pavlovic bamboozled close to the right touchline. Then a flick and volley forced Pietro Terracciano, Milan\u2019s goalkeeper in the first half, into a scramble across the line to make a save.<\/p>\n
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Ethan Nwaneri showed flashes of his talent against Milan (Yong Teck Lim\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Arteta will have been just as pleased by Nwaneri\u2019s defensive work rate. At one point, he raced back to regain possession, showing another side of his game.<\/p>\n
After the game, the manager said of Nwaneri\u2019s performance: \u201cReally good. After a few holidays, those kids come back from the summer and they look different. Already they look more mature, they have a better presence. Ethan certainly has been training really hard. He only had a couple of training sessions with us so for him to be able to play 45 minutes in that heat is a really positive things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arsenal are in the process of finalising a new contract for Nwaneri<\/a>. A year ago, pre-season provided a glimpse that this precocious talent might be ready for first-team football. On the evidence of this performance, the teenager is about to go up another gear next season.<\/p>\n Who is Gabriel\u2019s immediate deputy?<\/p>\n Gabriel was not in the matchday squad as he completes his rehabilitation from the hamstring injury he suffered in April, with Riccardo Calafiori replacing the Brazilian centre-back in the starting XI.<\/p>\n Calafiori was signed last summer to play at left-back, but injuries and the emergence of 18-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly restricted his opportunities. Centre-back, however, is where Calafiori came to prominence with former club Bologna, and most of his appearances for Italy have come on the left of a three-man defence. His adventurous style and willingness to carry the ball could give Arsenal an interesting new dynamic from centre-back, particularly in games where they are likely to dominate possession.<\/p>\n Jakub Kiwior, above, is in direct competition with Riccardo Calafiori for a starting role (Stuart MacFarlane\/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)<\/p>\n It\u2019s an important season for Calafiori. Signed for a fee that could ultimately total \u00a342million ($57m), he finds himself behind Lewis-Skelly at left-back and Gabriel at left-sided centre-half. As the 23-year-old looks for a route back to regular football, Calafiori has a versatility could be crucial.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also Kiwior to consider. The Poland international stepped in for Gabriel during last season and impressed, looking comfortable in both legs of the Champions League tie against Real Madrid. Kiwior came off the bench against Milan to pick out Saka for Arsenal\u2019s opening goal.<\/p>\n If Kiwior remains at Arsenal this summer \u2014 and Calafiori can stay fit \u2014 the battle between them could be an intriguing sub-plot in the season.<\/p>\n Arsenal field two 15-year-olds<\/p>\n Arsenal brought on three untested academy products during the second half, including two 15-year-olds: attacking midfielder Max Dowman<\/a> and centre-half Marli Salmon.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/GettyImages-2226650423-scaled.jpg\")
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