FABRIZIO ROMANO REVEALS IF ARSENAL WILL SELL ETHAN NWANERI AFTER MARSEILLE SPELL: ' I CAN GUARANTEE '

Fabrizio Romano has said that Arsenal have no plans whatsoever to sell Ethan Nwaneri in the summer after the journalist reflected on a difficult spell for the teenager with Marseille and having revealed what the immediate future holds for the 18-year-old in France.

Nwaneri joined Marseille on loan from Arsenal in the winter transfer window and is scheduled to return to the Premier League club at the end of the season.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder was expected to be a regular for Marseille under then-manager Roberto De Zerbi.

However, De Zerbi left his managerial role at Marseille by mutual consent in February, and things have been tough for Nwaneri.

Nwaneri, who is also able to operate as a winger, has been able to make only seven appearances for Marseille during his loan spell so far, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process.

The English gem is under contract at Arsenal until the summer of 2030, and transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Premier League club have no plans whatsoever to sell him.

Romano said on his YouTube channel about Nwaneri: “Yes, for Nwaneri it’s not an easy situation at present obviously because he went to Olympique Marseille with the expectation to work under Roberto De Zerbi, and then De Zerbi decided to leave Marseille.

“So, it’s a completely different situation. Also, the expectation was for Marseille to continue their Champions League campaign, and then they got eliminated in the final minutes of the final game.

“So, it has been different compared to the expectations for Nwaneri. But, at the moment, I can guarantee that Arsenal maintain full confidence in the player.

“So, Arsenal are waiting for him to complete the season at Olympique Marseille for this final 10, 11 games and then come back to the club, come back to Arsenal. They believe in Nwaneri 100%.

"So, the message from Arsenal is still optimistic. In the summer, they will speak to the player to understand what’s the best situation for him, whether it’s staying at Arsenal or maybe going on loan somewhere else.

"So, they will assess all the options with the player. But Arsenal maintain full trust in Ethan.

“Even if they understand it has been an unlucky loan so far at Olympique Marseille, they believe in the player, they trust the player, they trust his potential, and so nothing has changes in terms of long-term plans.”

Romano’s update on Nwaneri is in sharp contrast to a report in The Telegraph earlier this month.

The report claimed that Nwaneri is one of the players that Arsenal could sell at the end of the season.

French publication L’Equipe has reported that Marseille have no plans to make Nwaneri’s loan deal permanent.

Arsenal sent Nwaneri out on loan for the second half of the season to get some regular playing time.

That is not happening, and it will be interesting to see what Nwaneri does next season, given that he will once again not be guaranteed a place in the Arsenal starting line-up.

Latest Arsenal transfer news: Midfielder ‘talks’, Nigerian ‘superstar’ wanted

Meanwhile, sources have told TEAMtalk’s transfer correspondent, Fraser Fletcher, that Arsenal have held ‘talks’ to sign a dynamic Bundesliga midfielder, but there is interest in him from Manchester United, too.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly keen on signing a Nigerian ‘superstar’ this summer and views him as the ‘final piece of the puzzle’.

And finally, Arsenal are ready to ‘break the market’ by signing a truly world-class winger.

- Subhankar Mondal

GERMAN MEDIA UNANIMOUS AS ETHAN NWANERI IS SNUBBED ONCE AGAIN FOR DORTMUND

Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri is two months into his stint at Borussia Dortmund and here's how he's faring

Ethan Nwaneri lasted just over an hour against Werder Bremen(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

A pattern of Ethan Nwaneri not finishing games for Borussia Dortmund continued on Friday night. The Arsenal loanee joined the Bundesliga side on deadline day and has started four league games.

The 19-year-old has yet to complete 90 minutes for the club. He's been brought off in each of his five starts across all competitions, with his latest substitution coming in Dortmund's 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen on Friday.

However, Nwaeri has enjoyed an unbeaten start to the new campaign. Dortmund currently sit top of the league with 13 point but Bayern Munich and Freiburg, who are both three points behind, have a game in hand.

Nwaneri's only goal contribution in Germany came when registering an assist on his debut against Hoffenheim and he has since struggled to make an impact in front of goal. He got closer to scoring his first goal on Friday but was denied by ex-Gunners goalkeeper Karl Hein on two occasions.

The teenager was then brought off after an hour and German media have had their say on his performance.

BILD

Ethan Nwaneri has yet to complete 90 minutes for Borussia Dortmund(Image: Getty Images)

Germany's biggest newspaper, BILD, gave Nwaneri a grade of five for his performance, the joint-lowest for Dortmund alongside team-mate Marcel Sabitzer. The outlet may have been inclined to raise his rating if the referee hadn't disallowed his second-half goal for a foul.

BILD wrote: "But then Nwaneri scored a stunning bicycle kick (62nd minute) to seemingly give Dortmund the lead. Dortmund celebrated – but only briefly. The reason: Referee Christian Dingert ruled [Waldemar] Anton's slight push on [Niclas] Fullkrug an offensive foul. Therefore, VAR couldn't intervene. A bitter evening for Dortmund..."

Spox

Spox felt the 19-year-old struggled initially but his influence grew as the game went on, despite his end product still lacking. They gave him a rating of three out of six, with one the highest possible grade. They wrote: "Nwaneri initially remained relatively inconspicuous, but then developed into Dortmund's most dangerous player in front of goal.

"With his first truly good attacking move, he beautifully chipped the ball into Beier's path before his big chance (43rd minute). After that, several of his shots were either just a touch too inaccurate or were thwarted by the excellent Bremen goalkeeper Hein. He was then replaced by Silva after just over an hour. Rating: 3."

The 19-year-old was subbed off in the 63rd minute(Image: AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Goal

Goal's assessment also noted Nwaneri's inability to impact the game at key moments, but praised his technical ability. They gave the winger a six out of 10 rating and wrote: "The teenager showed good technical security on the flank but found it difficult to impact the game in the final third against a deep-sitting Bremen block.

"He was replaced by Fabio Silva just past the hour mark." Only Serhou Guirassy, Maximilian Beier and Gregor Kobel received lower scores from the outlet, with Dortmund's trio all receiving 5/10 ratings.

- Fasika Zelealem

ARSENAL: MIKEL ARTETA EXPLAINS WHY ETHAN NWANERI IS NOT ALLOWED IN SENIOR DRESS

The 17-year-old gets ready for games away from his team-mates

ETHAN NWANERI OF ARSENAL DURING A TRAINING SESSION AT SOBHA REALTY TRAINING CENTRE
ARSENAL FC VIA GETTY IMAGES

Mikel Arteta has revealed how safeguarding rules mean Ethan Nwaneri has to get ready in a different dressing room to his Arsenal team-mates on match days.

Nwaneri has broken into Arsenal’s first team this season and the 17-year-old scored his seventh goal of the campaign on Sunday during a 5-1 victory over Manchester City.

Fellow academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly has also burst onto the scene and the 18-year-old scored his first senior goal in the win against City.

Arteta believes the pair, who are good friends, have been helped by the fact they have broken into the first team at the same time.

And the Arsenal boss thinks that has been even more helpful for Nwaneri as he is unable to get ready in the same changing rooms as his team-mates on match day.

ETHAN NWANERI AND MYLES LEWIS-SKELLY AFTER BEATING MAN CITY
ARSENAL FC VIA GETTY IMAGES

Safeguarding rules mean that players must be 18 or older to share a dressing room with the senior squad.

Lewis-Skelly, after turning 18 in September, is able to be part of the first-team dressing room on matchdays - but Nwaneri must get changed elsewhere before joining in with the final team talk.

“When you see those two (Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri) walking next to each other, talking to each other, there is a bond there and a chemistry there,” said Arteta.

“I imagine for them it is special because at the moment they are still in different dressing rooms [at the training ground].

“Ethan cannot be in our dressing room still, which is unbelievable. He needs to get dressed somewhere else, even on match day.

“So to have somebody close to him that has that trust, that confidence, that link, I think it is lucky. They are very lucky to have each other.”

- SIMON COLLINGS

RECORD-BREAKING ARSENAL ENJOY CARNIVAL SEASON IN EINDHOVEN

Reuters 

Eindhoven has been packed with carnival-goers in recent days but on Tuesday it was Arsenal enjoying their own party in the city, getting over their goalscoring crisis and setting a Champions League record in the process.

Mikel Arteta's side became the first team in Champions League history to score seven goals away from home in the knockout stages of the competition as they romped to a 7-1 win over PSV Eindhoven.

It was the most goals the Gunners have scored in a single game since beating Newcastle 7-3 in the Premier League 13 years ago.

The Arsenal manager said the win had given his players "joy and confidence and belief", but was not getting carried away when questions were put to him about the records that his team had broken.

"For sure, it's something that hasn't been done, so great to be part of that," Arteta said. "But as a team we want to achieve many other things that are far more important than that.

"The happiest thing is we are in a very strong position to go to the next round, which is where we want to be.

"But there's still a job to do in London in a week's time."

After failing to score in their past two games, a 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest and 1-0 defeat by West Ham, Arteta may not have seen a victory like this coming.

"This will give them great confidence for the rest of the season. Right from the start Arsenal had control of the game," said Chris Sutton on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"Arsenal were ruthless with their finishing, some of the combination play in the final third was sensational.

"Martin Odegaard looked back to his best. To a man they were really strong and that centre-back pairing [Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba] is phenomenal.

"Arsenal will take some stopping in this competition."

England and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was one of the players singled out for his performance during the game and said that the Gunners have got the reward for their hard work in recent weeks.

Rice, who had a goal ruled out for offside, said Arsenal were "fluid" and possessed the "enthusiasm, drive and hunger" that the knockout stages demand.

"But we've been playing like this all season," he added. "We feel we've been playing well as a team. Sometimes we score five, sometimes two, sometimes we don't score but [on Tuesday] we did well. It all clicked."

Arsenal's lack of a recognised striker has been well documented, with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both injured. But six different players contributed to the rout on Tuesday - Odegaard scored twice, along with goals for Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori.

The emphatic win means that Arsenal can start planning for a trip to Madrid, as they are set to take on the winner of the tie between Real and Atletico, which finished 2-1 to Carlo Ancelotti's side. Next week's second leg takes place at Atletico.

Nwaneri shows why he's earned Arteta's trust

Arsenal's excellent 17-year-old Nwaneri again showed why there is so much hype and excitement about his future in the game.

The academy graduate has been given the task of filling in for Bukayo Saka on the right hand side of Arsenal's attack while the England international is out injured. The teenager has repaid that faith in him with eight goals in 28 games in all competitions.

That goal return puts him alongside some of England's most iconic young players.

Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney scored nine goals each in all competitions when they were aged 17 or younger and Nwaneri now has 16 days before his 18th birthday to try to match or beat that record.

"I don't think that he needs any pushing. You see every time what the intention is," Arteta said. "If it comes, it comes and it's great.

"I'm really impressed with the way he behaved and the way he played. It's about consistency and now doing it again three days later in another big stadium."

Nwaneri also became the third youngest player to score a goal in a knockout stage match in the Champions League after Bojan in April 2008 (17 and 217 days) and Jude Bellingham in April 2021 (17 and 289 days).

"He's 17 years old and he's on the biggest stage," Rice said.

"We've taken [the youngsters] under our wing and they deserve to be playing. You should see them train they way they have no fear and want to perform.

"Even if Saka was here Ethan would be still getting minutes because he's that good and works so hard in training. We have so many top young players."

Nwaneri was joined in the starting XI by his team-mate from the academy Myles Lewis-Skelly and the 18-year-old also impressed despite being withdrawn in the first half to avoid him getting sent off.

Lewis-Skelly, who had been booked earlier, put in a late tackle on Richard Ledezma and although he was unpunished, Arteta substituted him moments later.

"They play like they have been here for many years," captain Odegaard said.

"So much quality and confidence, they're ready for it. I'm not worried about them, we enjoy having them in the team and they have a great attitude."

Odegaard, who himself started playing senior football at 15 years old, believes that Lewis-Skelly can use his early withdrawal as a learning experience.

"He took that really well," he added. "He knew it was a tricky position to be in. He was on a yellow and had a tough challenge too. He took it well and we're all there to support and I'm sure he will learn from that too."

- Alex Howell, BBC Sport football news reporter in Eindhoven

LEICESTER 0-2 ARSENAL: POST MATCH PLAYER RATINGS

Mikel Merino celebrates after scoring against Leicester City (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Arsenal left it late, but substitute Mikel Merino scored a brace to send the Gunners to within four points of leaders Liverpool.

After a first half with little attacking threat, the Gunners took the lead in the 81st minute. The inspired substitution of Merino paid dividends when the Spaniard fired Arsenal ahead as he headed home an Ethan Nwaneri cross.

Nwaneri, arguably the best player on the pitch, was the only real attacking threat until the introduction of Merino.

The former Real Sociedad midfielder scored a second six minutes later when he fired a Leandro Trossard cross past Mads Hermansen.

The Foxes looked shellshocked from there on out and Arsenal cruised to a comfortable win and closed the gap to leaders Liverpool ahead of their game against Wolves. 

• Arsenal player ratings:

David Raya – 7

Raya was not tested much but when called upon he made some good stops. The save from Wilfried Ndidi kept the game level at the interval.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – 7

Another solid display from the Hale End graduate. Lewis-Skelly’s most important intervention came before he was substituted when he prodded a Jordan Ayew away from the lurking Bobby Reid. The Jamaican winger had a certain tap-in if it wasn’t for the young left-back’s efforts.

Gabriel Magalhães – 7

Gabriel was an aerial threat from set-pieces but when is he not? The former Lille defender had little to do in terms of defensive work.

William Saliba – 7

The Frenchman dealt with the pace of Jamie Vardy well. Vardy had a quiet game and rarely threatened the Arsenal defence.

Jurrien Timber – 7

Timber was solid all around today. The Dutch defender was an attacking threat and also solid when the Foxes made a rare venture into the Arsenal half.

Thomas Partey – 6

Partey put up a decent showing against Leicester but made a few sloppy passes when looking to progress the ball.

Declan Rice – 7

Rice was decent in the No.8 role and carried the ball well. The English midfielder was one of the larger attacking threats in a game lacking quality.

Martin Odegaard – 6

Leicester did a good job in nullifying Odegaard’s threat on the ball. Apart from a few incisive passes, the midfielder was quiet for large parts of the encounter.

Raheem Sterling – 3

Sterling put in a low-quality display. When he was in possession, he failed to beat a man and lost the ball on multiple occasions. The Chelsea loanee is bereft of confidence and needs to pick up form if he is to remain at a top club.

Leandro Trossard – 6

Trossard had little service as the striker but did pull off a fine assist for Merino’s second goal. As the saying goes; if you cannot score, make sure you are still providing goals.

Ethan Nwaneri – 8

Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal runs with the ball during the Premier League match between Leicester City FC and Arsenal FC (Credit: Shaun Botterill/GettyImages).

Nwaneri put in a performance of the highest quality against the Foxes. The Hale End graduate was by far the most threatening player, hitting the woodwork on two occasions. His cross for Merino’s opening goal was simply world-class.

Substitutes:

Mikel Merino – 8

Merino put in a superb performance as a makeshift striker. The Spaniard attacker the space in behind well and produced two good finishes to fire the Gunners to all three points.

Riccardo Calafiori – 6

The Italian was solid defensively when called upon in his short spell on the pitch.

Jorginho – 6

The former Chelsea man did not have time to impact the game, but did make a few key passes to help Arsenal keep the ball. 

Kieran Tierney – N/A

The Scot did not have time to impact the game. 

Arsenal take on West Ham next weekend as they look to continue their 15-game unbeaten Premier League run. 

- Harry Cooper-Smith

'EVERYONE WANTS CLARITY' OVER MAN CITY CHARGES, SAYS ARSENAL CHIEF

Richard Garlick became Arsenal's chief executive in September 2025. Getty Images 

Everyone in the Premier League wants clarity and a speedy resolution in the case against Manchester City which features more than 100 alleged breaches of its financial rules, says Arsenal chief executive Richard Garlick.

An independent commission is yet to publish a ruling, more than a year and a half after a disciplinary hearing concluded, and three and a half years since City were first charged.

City have always denied wrongdoing.

When asked if the length of time the process was taking was frustrating Arsenal, Garlick told BBC Sport: "It has gone on for a while.

"Everybody - the league and the teams - would want the clarity around what's going to happen next.

"But it's not something that I can control. It's not something that I can speculate on.

"And I just hope that there is a solution very quickly."

Garlick's comments come on the eve of the new season and after Premier League chief executive Richard Masters said: "I do accept it's taking longer than expected, and I understand that people want to find out as soon as possible what's going on, but I simply can't provide that."

Describing the case as "hugely complex", Masters added: "Our rules are very clear - we have to follow the process, and there's only one real clear route through, which is to allow that process to reach its natural conclusion."

Privately, officials at a host of other Premier League clubs BBC Sport has spoken to in the past 24 hours have also expressed their frustrations, while acknowledging that this is an independent process which is running on its own timetable.

One said the Premier League should be "actively seeking to put in place a better system" to ensure speedier resolutions.

Another made the point that given that the league spent £45m on legal bills during the 2023–24 season on disputes over its financial regulations, there are mounting concerns at the spiralling costs of such a long legal fight.

The charges City are contesting relate to the:

• alleged failure to provide accurate financial information, including details for player and manager payments, from 2009-10 to 2017-18 seasons

• alleged failure to comply with Uefa's financial fair play (FFP) rules from 2013-14 to 2017-18

• alleged breaches of Premier League's profitability and sustainability rules (PSR) from 2015-16 to 2017-18.

City also face multiple charges that they failed to co-operate with the Premier League's investigation between December 2018 and February 2023.

Champions Arsenal were Premier League runners-up to City in both 2023 and in 2024 when they were beaten by just two points.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham reportedly served legal notices on City in 2024 reserving the right to seek compensation if the club are found guilty, with some said to have estimated potential losses of more than £100m.

They may also have been encouraged by Everton being told in June that they must pay Burnley £35m in compensation over the impact of a breach of the Premier League's financial rules.

Analysis

While most would argue that Garlick is simply articulating how almost everyone in English football feels about the length of time this saga has hung over the Premier League, it is still rare for a senior figure at a top club to break ranks and say anything publicly about the case.

Last year, the former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy said it had gone on for "far too long", but until now that was an isolated intervention.

It is no surprise that City's rivals are frustrated.

The club has spent £151m so far this summer transfer window, including a club record £116m for England midfielder Elliot Anderson.

They have also spent almost £700m on new players since being charged in February 2023, and have won six major trophies in that time.

Meanwhile, they - and other clubs - remain in limbo.

Are Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri for sale?

Meanwhile, Garlick insists Arsenal are not actively seeking to sell homegrown talents like Myles Lewis-Skelly or Ethan Nwaneri, but that the Premier League champions would "consider" the "right opportunity" for both the players and the club.

Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri - both 19 years old - have been linked with summer moves away, including to rival clubs in the Premier League.

Their 'homegrown' status, having progressed through the ranks at Arsenal, means any sale would allow the club to book pure profit in its accounts, helping balance the financials in a year when the Premier League moves to a new Squad Cost Ratio (SCR) rule of spending controls.

The new rules mean clubs can spend 85% of their revenues on fees, wages and contracts but the number drops to 70% for clubs competing in Europe.

When asked if the club needed to sell players to help comply, Garlick said: "Every club now has adopted a player-trading model. The way in which football is and the fees involved, it makes sense for you to trade players and to generate revenues through those sales.

"I won't say it's a necessity, but it's only a matter of good housekeeping that you do look at those opportunities when they arise, and as long as they're right for the club, then that's something that we will explore."

When asked if he wanted Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri to stay at Arsenal, he said: "I can't stop other clubs being interested. Myles had a fantastic end to last season and has started this one really well. We're very, very happy with him.

"Ethan has had a great pre-season as well and it's just a case of looking at what opportunities there are that will help both of those in terms of their career moving forward.

"We are not actively looking at selling those homegrown players but if the right opportunity came up - right for them and the club - we'd obviously consider that."

Despite signing Bruno Guimaraes, Arsenal have tried and failed to bring in Vinicius Jr and missed out on Morgan Rogers this summer in what has been a muddled transfer window, but Garlick remains hopeful of further additions "that are going to improve the club".

"As you are competing for Premier League titles or Champions League trophies, you need to bring in a certain calibre of player. And I think that that pool of players is smaller now than maybe it was a few years ago," he said.

"We've got a really competitive squad and if the opportunity came again in the next couple of weeks for us to add a player that's going to improve Arsenal, then we will look at that."

Garlick also expressed confidence around the contract status of manager Mikel Arteta, with the title-winning manager into the final 12 months of his current deal.

"Mikel wants to be at Arsenal, we want Mikel at Arsenal," he said.

"It's only a matter of time before we put that into a new contract. Everyone is confident and calm. We're just navigating a transfer window and I'm sure Mikel's contract will be resolved shortly."

- Dan Roan

BREAKOUT PLAYERS TO WATCH IN PREMIER LEAGUE L, LA LIGA AND MORE

The domestic European soccer seasons are back, so it's the ideal opportunity to provide a list of up-and-comers from the top leagues. From somewhat familiar names who have waited patiently for their big moments to young players ready to make their mark in a new environment, here are Luis Miguel Echegaray's 10 breakout players for the 2024-25 season.

Just like in life, this game is about chances. Let's see if these names can grab theirs with conviction.

English Premier League

Amad Diallo

Age: 22

Position: Forward

Club: Manchester United

Country: Ivory Coast

Stat to know: He created two goal-scoring chances and completed two one-vs.-one dribbles per 90 minutes in the 2023-24 Premier League season. The only other players with 350-plus minutes to meet those marks last season were Luis Díaz, Leon Bailey, Eberechi Eze, Jérémy Doku, Pedro Neto, Michael Olise and Luis Sinisterra.

Why he'll break out: Since arriving for €21m (plus another €20m in add-ons) after just 24 minutes of action four years ago from Atalanta, the 22-year-old Ivorian has been patient with Man United's plans toward making him a first-team regular. There were two loans with Rangers and Sunderland (where he ended as the club's top scorer in the 2022-2023 season) before a knee injury impeded his process last summer after returning to his parent club. At that time, it wasn't fully certain whether Erik ten Hag would keep the talented youngster, especially because there was a lot of competition on the flanks.

However, after last season's issues with Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Antony, coupled with his return last December, Diallo showed why he deserves a shout and demonstrated glimpses of his worth in the final matches of the 2023-24 campaign. This summer, he lit up in preseason and manager Ten Hag has integrated him into his plans. After starting in the Community Shield, Diallo also started in the season opener against Fulham, and he was very effective, driving toward the box with intent and almost earning a penalty for his side.

He is a very versatile player, able to play anywhere across the attacking line behind the striker, which should be very valuable for Ten Hag, especially in a system that requires quick decision-making on the counter.

"The manager believes a lot in young players, and I hope this season he will give me a lot of game time, but it's for me to prove myself in training and to start in the team," Diallo said during Man United's tour in the U.S. And he has also been getting advice from his compatriot and Ivorian legend Yaya Toure, whom he met on vacation in the Maldives.

"What is said is a secret," said Diallo. "He gave me some advice for the season, so let's see what happens."

I believe this is a key season for him, but he must remain effective as a starter for longer periods of matches -- especially after the hour mark -- as Ten Hag won't hesitate to change things around in the latter stages of matches.

Morgan Rogers

Age: 22

Position: Forward

Club: Aston Villa

Country: England

Stat to know: In 18 appearances across all top-flight English competitions last season (2023-24 Premier League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup), Rogers scored eight goals and provided three assists. Among 203 players with at least 25 shots attempted in English top-flight competitions last season, Rogers' conversion rate of 29.6% (eight goals from 27 shots), only Jean-Philippe Mateta (36.5%; 19 goals from 52 shots) had a better conversion rate.

Why he'll break out: When Rogers arrived at Aston Villa from Middlesbrough this past February, there was some apprehension from certain pockets of Villa's fan base. Was it the necessary acquisition? Given the fact that the club's offensive options were plentiful, as opposed to other positions that were -- at that time -- more in need. Also, would the young attacker be able to keep up with Unai Emery's disciplined demand and Villa's trajectory, as well as adjust quickly from the Championship to the Premier League?

In less than two months, those doubts were erased as the young attacker quickly adapted to Villa's tactics and showed glimpses of his tremendous talent. In April, Rogers had scored in each of his past three appearances at Villa Park, showing the wide range of his repertoire from quick footwork inside the box against Brentford, to cutting inside from the left against Bournemouth, to an instinctive finish over Chelsea.

This summer, Emery has been testing him in more central areas as a striker, and it's mainly because his speed and good finishing can act as another threat behind defensive lines, thus alleviating Ollie Watkins's responsibilities.

This season could be the opportunity for Rogers to truly make a name for himself and while he has represented England at every youth level since U-15s, he has a great chance of earning his first senior call-up, no matter who comes in as the new manager. Oh, and let's set the record straight. Cole Palmer's "cold" celebration? He borrowed it from Rogers.

Yankuba Minteh

Age: 20

Position: Forward

Club: Brighton & Hove Albion

Country: Gambia

Stat to know: He scored 10 goals and provided five assists in the Eredivisie last season. His 1,462 minutes played were the fewest among the 19 players with at least 15 goal contributions, and his 0.92 goal contributions per 90 minutes ranked sixth in the Eredivisie last season.

Why he'll break out: Back in June, when Newcastle United let Yankuba Minteh move to Brighton for £30m, it was clear that this was a forced decision as Eddie Howe's side needed to raise funds to avoid issues with the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Regulations.

As a result, Brighton took advantage and now have a playmaker on the wing at their disposal. Let's remember something, too: Brighton do not spend more than £30m unless they think they have to, so there's reason to believe he will deliver. Minteh, who spent last season on loan at runners-up Feyenoord and scored 10 league goals in 37 appearances in all competitions, is an electric wideman, able to use his speed on the right wing to create havoc. But it's not just his speed; his movement is also unpredictable for the opposition.

Against Everton, the Gambia international delivered his first assist for the club with a great run and cross for Kaoru Mitoma that was too much for Vitaliy Mykolenko. He had to come off just before the break due to a collision with the aforementioned Mykolenko, and he was not happy about it, but Brighton's new manager Fabian Hürzeler was impressed by his efforts.

"He made a great impact, but I judge my offensive players on how they work against the ball. They did quite good today. They all have the quality to score, and Minteh is very dangerous in transition," he said after the game. "You saw it already in preseason, you see it every day in training. If you work hard, if you try to improve, you try to win the day and be the best you can every day, then it will pay off. It's not like I was surprised he had this performance because I saw it in preseason, and that is just the confirmation."

Hürzeler's tactics are less patient in possession and more focused on direct approaches where the aim is to be fluid, to go wide and hit the opponent with pace and aggression when they're vulnerable. This is music to Minteh's ears, as he will surely look to make an explosive debut season in the Premier League.

Omari Hutchinson

Age: 20

Position: Forward

Club: Ipswich Town

Country: Jamaica

Stat to know: On loan from Chelsea, he was one of 12 players in the Championship last season with 15 goal contributions (10 goals, five assists) and 50 successful one-vs.-ones.

Why he'll break out: Despite the loss to Liverpool on the opening weekend, I believe Ipswich Town will avoid relegation. Mainly it's because of Kieran McKenna, the highly regarded 38-year-old manager with an eye for adaptability and disciplined creativity wanted by many top clubs before he signed a new deal. But the other reason for my faith in Ipswich is the talent at their disposal, and the 20-year-old Hutchinson is one main example.

Against Liverpool, Hutchinson had a great chance to open the scoring after a fine run, but he didn't have the clinical finish. And that's going to be his major piece of homework. Once he gets there, though, he will be a big player as his pressing, touch and vision are excellent.

Born in England, the attacker has represented the Three Lions at youth level but has also been capped by Jamaica in the past as his father was born in the Caribbean nation (his mother is from Dominica). Last season, he opted out of any international competition to focus on Ipswich's chances of promotion. And this summer he left Chelsea to join McKenna's side on a permanent deal. Hutchinson suits McKenna's system perfectly because he is a winger disguised as a No. 10 and his manager likes to use his creative players out wide. At 20, there's so much more to come, but I think his future is in great hands.

Ethan Nwaneri

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Club: Arsenal

Country: England

Stat to know: On Sept. 21, 2022, he became the youngest player in Premier League history to make an appearance in Arsenal's 1-0 win over Brentford.

Why he'll break out: Born in Enfield to Nigerian parents, Nwaneri joined Arsenal's academy when he was 9, and five years later he was part of their U18s. The development continued as Arsenal's academy placed him above his age group and eventually took him to the U21 squad for the 2022-23 season. A few weeks later, Mikel Arteta put him in the first team against Brentford and he became the Premier League's youngest-ever player at 15 years and 181 days when he replaced Fábio Vieira.

Fast forward to this season and, after impressing in the summer during Arsenal's U.S. tour, Nwaneri was on the bench in Arsenal's opening victory against Wolves. As an attacking midfielder, he has multiple attributes: he is excellent on the ball and loves to drive forward, as well as provide key passes. Due to the club's midfield depth -- especially with Mikel Merino's pending arrival -- I would imagine that his success this season will depend on how far Arsenal progress in cup competitions, with the hope that Arteta makes the most of Nwaneri's talent there.

LaLiga

Marc Bernal

Age: 17

Position: Midfielder

Club: Barcelona

Country: Spain

Stat to know: He played with Spain at 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup and at 2024 European U-17 Championship. He also had a 100% passing accuracy in the summer friendly against Real Madrid.

Why he'll break out: Despite their financial issues and inconsistencies with leadership in recent years, Barcelona have always been able to rely on their La Masia academy. As Lamine Yamal and Fermín López showed this summer at the Euros and Olympics respectively, the club continue to produce incredible talent that has saved the first team from falling into oblivion.

This season, under new manager Hansi Flick, it's central midfield that is in need due to injuries. Gavi and Frenkie de Jong remain unavailable, while Pedri only recently returned from injury, so the starting responsibilities have been placed on 20-year-old Marc Casadó and his partner in crime: the 17-year-old Bernal.

Let me stress this without hyperbole: The similarities to Sergio Busquets are pretty remarkable. At 6-foot-3, Bernal is an inch taller, but his style is so similar to the Barça and Spain legend. Simplicity is the key to his game, as the teenager moves the ball with so much ease and maturity, but he also likes to get forward, too. When it comes to consistency and a player who can maintain the club's tradition of possession-based control, Barcelona should look no further than this magnificent talent.

Álvaro Djaló

Age: 24

Position: Forward

Club: Athletic Club

Country: Spain

Stat to know: He averaged 0.65 goal contributions per 90 minutes in the Portuguese top flight in 2023-24, ranked ninth among players with at least 1,800 minutes played.

Why he'll break out: Djaló is one of the best additions to LaLiga this season. Athletic Club made a deal with Portuguese side SC Braga for approximately €15m in March, anticipating the summer departure of the highly sought after Nico Williams, but now they might get to see the best of both.

Djaló was born in Spain to Bissau-Guinean parents and started his youth career in Basque country, hence his eligibility to represent Athletic. He plays the same position as Williams -- on the left side of an attacking line -- but is also very happy as a striker, or on the right wing. It's a bit unfair to call this his "breakout" season as he already showed his impact with Braga where he scored 16 goals in all competitions, including five in the Champions League. But LaLiga is different and Athletic, who came fifth last season, have ambitions to finally earn a Champions League spot for the first time in a decade.

Djaló was injured in the preseason friendly against Aston Villa and missed the opener against Getafe but should return later this month.

Bundesliga

Jeanuël Belocian

Age: 19

Position: Defender

Club: Bayer Leverkusen

Country: France

Stat to know: He won 65% of his duels in Ligue 1 last season, the best success rate by any teenage outfield player.

Why he'll break out: It's been a busy summer for Belocian's parents, who still live in Guadeloupe, where his family is from. First, they were in Paris to support Jeanuel's older brother, Wilhelm, who took part at the Olympics in Paris and made it to the semifinals of the 110m hurdles. Then, this month will see them relocate to Germany for a few months to help their youngest settle after signing for the German champions from Ligue 1's Rennes for more than €15m.

Belocian is a very smart centre-back with unbelievable athleticism and a dominating left foot, whose strengths lie in tackling, delivery and anticipation. These are all characteristics that remind me of a young David Alaba. He might be only 19, but he played 23 matches for Rennes last season and ranked extremely high in tackles and progressive passes.

Now he enters the school of Xabi Alonso, with a golden opportunity to become a strong piece of this excellent Leverkusen squad. He started in the club's German Super Cup win over Stuttgart and was used higher up the pitch on the left side. Alonso loves his versatility, and this attribute will be Belocian's biggest strength.

Oscar Højlund

Age: 19

Position: Midfielder

Club: Eintracht Frankfurt

Country: Denmark

Stat to know: He scored the winning goal for Denmark U-19 against France U-19 in November 2023 in European Championship qualifying play.

Why he'll break out: Just what exactly are they feeding the Højlund family? The father, Anders Højlund, played in the lower leagues of Danish football. The mother, Kirsten Winther, was a former sprinter before joining the military. And their children are all professional players: the oldest brother, Rasmus (21), is looking for a big second season at Manchester United once he returns from injury, while fellow attacker Emil (19) recently joined FC Schalke 04 in Bundesliga 2.

But my focus is on Emil's twin, Oscar, who will begin a new chapter with Eintracht Frankfurt after a strong 2023-24 campaign with FC Copenhagen, which included six appearances in the Champions League. I think this could be a promising move for Højlund, a box-to-box midfielder with great vision and ability to get out of dangerous situations. He has a chance to blossom under manager Dino Toppmöller and learn from the veteran World Cup champion Mario Gotze. Watch out for this tenacious Dane, who will surely make the most out of Bundesliga's technical environment, which often allows young players to flourish.

Serie A

Zion Suzuki

Age: 21

Position: Goalkeeper

Club: Parma

Country: Japan

Stat to know: He has already won the AFC Champions League, Emperor's Cup and Japanese Super Cup in his young career.

Last summer, Manchester United offered Suzuki the role of backup goalkeeper after agreeing a deal with Japanese side Urawa Red Diamonds, but the stopper, who was 20 at the time, rejected the move in favor of more chances of first-team football. As a result, Suzuki stayed on loan with Belgian club Sint-Truidense VV, thus earning more experience in Europe, before moving to Parma this summer.

Born in the U.S. to a Ghanaian-American father and a Japanese mother, Suzuki's family relocated to Japan when he was a child. When he was 16, he became the youngest player in Urawa's history to sign a professional contract and made his J1 debut at 18. He has already represented the Japan national team at various youth levels, as well as the senior side, making his first appearance two years ago.

As American-owned Parma return to Serie A after three years in the second division, Suzuki enters a pivotal time for his development, and if things continue to work in his favor, he will become the No. 1 for Japan in the future. In his debut for Parma, Suzuki made some key long-range saves as they drew 1-1 with Fiorentina. He also started the sequence that opened the scoring for the home side and was excellent throughout. He could do little about the goal he conceded as it was a tremendous free kick from outside the box.

He is also very smart. It hadn't been a week since arriving at Parma before he decided to do his first news conference in Italian.

Ligue 1

George Ilenikhena

Age: 17

Position: Forward

Club: AS Monaco

Country: France

Stat to know: He scored the winning goal for Royal Antwerp against Barcelona in 92nd minute in the 2023-24 UCL season, which gave the Belgian club their first-ever UCL victory.

Why he'll break out: I am not a fan of hype; it is a fragile, thin-iced floor where football's unpredictable nature disrupts a player's plans. Having said that, it is difficult for me to not get excited about this young man. Ilenikhena is a true talent and AS Monaco know it, that's why they spent more than €25m to sign the Nigerian-born teenager who moved to France when he was three.

Ilenikhena started his professional career at Amiens in France before leaving for Antwerp last summer. In one season, the centre-forward scored 14 goals in 50 matches, including a historic one in the Champions League. His dominant left foot is not his only skill as Ilenikhena is also good in the air, quick and clinical in front of goal. It's amazing to think that he started his youth career as a goalkeeper.

At only 17, there is obviously still a lot to do for him to follow in the footsteps of his role model, Erling Haaland. But he has all the tools to shine and, now that he's back in France, he has the opportunity to learn and play alongside certain teammates who can compliment his style such as Breel Embolo and USMNT international Folarin Balogun.

"I get along very well with Breel and Balo'. They are two very good guys who help me on a daily basis," Ilenikhena said after the club's opening league win against St Etienne. "They advise me and explain to me what they were already doing last season, so that I can acclimatize quickly."

- Luis Miguel Echegaray, ESPN

ARSENAL'S JACK PORTER, 16, BECOMES CLUB'S YOUNGEST-EVER STARTER

Jack Porter travelled with the Arsenal squad for their Champions League opener against Atalanta. Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Jack Porter became Arsenal's youngest-ever player to start a first-team game when the 16-year-old goalkeeper made his debut in a 5-1 win over Bolton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

At 16 years, 72 days old, Porter surpassed club icon Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years, 177 days when he started against Rotherham in October 2003.

Porter was selected in place of first choice David Raya, who was ruled out with a thigh injury, Arsenal said. Raya left Etihad Stadium with a bandage around his right knee after picking up an injury in last weekend's 2-2 draw at Manchester City.

With Neto -- a summer loan signing from Bournemouth -- cup-tied and 18-year-old understudy Tommy Setford also injured, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has called on Porter, who only turned 16 in July.

Porter has trained with the first team on a few occasions previously and was named among the substitutes for last week's Champions League trip to Atalanta which ended 0-0.

He only signed scholarship terms with the Gunners in the summer and cannot agree a professional contract until next year when he turns 17.

As ESPN reported on deadline day, Arsenal attempted to sign two goalkeepers late in the window, having allowed Aaron Ramsdale to join Southampton in a permanent deal and Karl Hein to move to Real Valladolid on loan.

After securing Neto's arrival, they explored a deal for Joan García at Espanyol while also making an approach for Wolves' Dan Bentley but were unable to secure an agreement.

Arteta rotated his side for the game against Bolton with youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Miles Lewis-Skelly among those included, while Raheem Sterling made his first start after arriving on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Nwaneri, who scored twice against Bolton, holds the record as the youngest player to represent Arsenal's first team after coming on as a substitute aged 15 years, 181 days in September 2022.

Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

ARTETA NOW READY TO PROMOTE ARSENAL'S 'BEST EVER' ACADEMY STAR TO FIRST TEAM

Mikel Arteta is ready to turn to Arsenal academy starlet Max Dowman and hand the English wonderkid a spot on his first-team bench before the season ends to start bedding him into his senior setup at the Emirates, according to The Daily Mail.

"Dowman is the latest Hale End talent on the cusp of Arteta's squad amid stellar showings at youth level, and the Gunners boss continues to use the club's academy to bolster his squad. Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, and Ethan Nwaneri, 17, are now fully established members of the first team at the Emirates after making the step-up over the past year.

Arsenal are renowned for their youth development, and Arteta's current crop is brimming with teenage talents in all departments, but the Spaniard could do with Dowman's versatility. The England U17 international excels as an attacking midfielder but can also play on the wing and in a central midfield role.

Max Dowman Could Earn Call Up To Arteta's Arsenal Senior Squad

The exciting English teenager is on the Gunners boss' radar

 

Dowman is knocking on the door of Arsenal's first-team, and it's claimed that Arteta is 'open to the idea' of the promising English teenager making his first-team bench for a game before the season ends. A similar situation ensued for Nwaneri in September 2022 when he made the bench for the Gunners against Brentford, and he came on and broke the record for the youngest Premier League player at 15 years and 181 days.

Arteta has already had a glimpse of the England U17 international in training, and he's spoken glowingly about Dowman being 'very impressive at his age' and that 'some of the things he does in training are unbelievable'. Head scout Sean O'Connor echoed those sentiments by describing him as 'the best player to have walked through the doors at the Hale End academy'.

The club's decision to fast-track him into Arteta's first team comes amid an exodus of youth players at the Emirates, with Ayden Heaven becoming the latest to swap North London for Manchester United following Chido Obi-Martin's move to Old Trafford after the exciting Danish striker joined the Red Devils at the end of last year.

Arsenal's higher-ups 'want to show upcoming talent a pathway to the first team' —Dowman, who turned 15 in December but is showing massive potential for the Gunners' youth teams, bagging five goals and seven assists in 15 games across competitions for the U18s. He's an exciting English attacker who became the club's youngest representative at U21 level by turning out for the team a month before his 15th birthday.

 - Matthew Guyett

HOW ARSENAL'S NEW BOYS PERFORMED ON DEBUT - INCLUDING A 15-YEAR-OLD WONDERKID

Mikel Arteta handed out numerous debuts as Arsenal made a winning start to their pre-season tour

Norgaard, Zubimendi and Dowman all featured against AC Milan (Photos@ Getty)

Arsenal 1-0 AC Milan (Saka 53′)

Arsenal made a winning start to their pre-season tour against AC Milan in Singapore with a few new faces given their first runouts by Mikel Arteta.

Bukayo Saka scored the game’s only goal with a scuffed volley at the back post from Jakub Kiwior’s searching cross, before the Gunners were beaten 6-5 on penalties in a pre-arranged post-match shootout.

Three of Arsenal’s summer signings were involved, with Christian Norgaard starting and Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi brought on at half-time. A few promising academy prospects also featured in the second half.

Arteta will soon have other newcomers to integrate.

Christian Mosquera is in the Far East to complete his move from Valencia and could feature against Newcastle or Tottenham, while Arsenal hope to have Viktor Gyokeres join them on tour once his protracted move from Sporting Lisbon has been finalised.

Noni Madueke has been given an extended break after featuring for Chelsea at the Club World Cup.

Zubimendi catches the eye

The introductions of Zubimendi and Martin Odegaard at the break, alongside Declan Rice, gave Arsenal fans a first look at what is likely to be a first-choice midfield next season.

Zubimendi offers more playmaking qualities than Arsenal have had recently in the No 6 role, but he also possesses the defensive nous to protect the back four.

The 26-year-old ranked ninth in La Liga for combined tackles and interceptions last season and offered glimpses of those ball-winning capabilities in Kallang.

He was well-positioned to disrupt Milan counters, nicking the ball off Rafael Leao within minutes of coming on as Milan’s main man slalomed towards goal after a turnover.

Later on, he dispossessed Leao again, staying alive and alert to win the ball inside his own box. He looks well suited to Arsenal’s high press, too, shuttling crab-like to close down space in the opponents’ half.

It was a polished performance on the ball pockmarked by various line-breaking passes. He even scored a penalty, calmly sending Milan’s impressive No 2 Lorenzo Torriani the wrong way in a pre-arranged post-match shootout.

An encouraging first outing from the £52m buy.

Neat and tidy Norgaard

Adapting to playing for a team that had the third-highest possession share in the Premier League last season, from one that was 15th, will determine whether or not the Dane is a success in north London.

There were a couple of stray passes, but generally, he was accomplished on the ball (if less so than Zubimendi) and looked to punch balls into the forwards.

With Arsenal controlling much of the first half, he had plenty of the ball and operated higher up the pitch than he tended to for Brentford.

Norgaard played the first-half against AC Milan (Photo: AP)

He could even have registered a debut assist, after Ethan Nwaneri’s stinging drive from his pass forced a smart stop on the stretch from Pietro Terracciano.

Another facet of Norgaard’s game that has perhaps been overlooked is his aerial ability. According to WhoScored, Norgaard won 52 aerial duels last season, the third-most among Premier League central midfielders.

The six-footer made a headed clearance from a Milan corner later in the half and his presence could help Arsenal improve their defensive set-piece record.

The Gunners let in 14 set-piece goals in the league last season; Brentford conceded just two.

A clean sheet for Kepa

Signed to provide competition for David Raya, Kepa will be pleased to have kept his first clean sheet in Arsenal colours.

It was a largely stress-free half for the ex-Chelsea keeper, especially considering he played most of it behind a back four containing two 18-year-olds and a 15-year-old.

His best moment was getting his positioning and handling spot on to gather in a Leao shot from range, before immediately springing to his feet to set an Arsenal counter in motion with a throw.

Kepa may have had little to do in regulation time, but he was in inspired form in the penalty shootout, matching Torriani by making three saves from the first five kicks, all of which were down to his left.

He has always backed himself in shootouts, to be fair.

Teenage kicks

Besides the newcomers, Arsenal supporters will have been eager to see a few of the club’s youngsters get some game time.

There is plenty of hype around the 15-year-old Max Dowman, who is eligible to play Premier League football next season.

A left-footed attacking midfielder, Dowman slotted in on Saka’s right flank and looked remarkably composed given his inexperience.

Dowman impressed on his Arsenal debut (Photo: Reuters)

There is a touch of early Jack Wilshere about Dowman, with his low centre of gravity, direct dribbles and silky touch.

The schoolboy kept his cool in the shootout, succeeding where Odegaard, Reiss Nelson and Kiwior hadn’t by netting from 12 yards. Expect to see much more of him over the next few years.

Marli Salmon, another 15-year-old, also looked assured at centre-back, while 18-year-old right-back Josh Nichols produced some exciting bits of skill. Nichols also scored a penalty, although Salmon blazed his over with Milan winning the shootout with the next kick.

Hale End graduates Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both broke into Arteta’s first-team plans last term, and judging by the displays of Dowman, Salmon and Nichols, more will follow before long.

- Oliver Young-Myles

ARSENAL RATINGS: SAKA, TROSSARD STAR IN WIN VS. LEICESTER

Leandro Trossard and Bukayo Saka celebrate after Arsenal take the lead vs. Leicester City in the Premier League. (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

Arsenal returned to winning ways on Saturday afternoon as they secured a 4-2 victory over Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners dominated the first half and got themselves in front when Jurriën Timber crossed low towards Gabriel Martinelli, who registered his first Premier League goal of the season with an accurate finish. Martinelli was a regular spark for the home side's attack throughout the opening 45 minutes, and he was involved again before the break when providing the assist for Leandro Trossard to double the lead.

Manager Mikel Arteta looked comfortable as his side enjoyed 76% possession by the end of the first half, but it was just moments after the restart when the Foxes responded, with James Justin's effort deflected off Kai Havertz from Facundo Buonanotte's free kick.

Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen kept his side in it with saves against Gabriel Magalhães and then Trossard, before a spectacular effort from Justin was smashed in off the post to level the scoring. Hermansen was involved again when a poor pass out from the back allowed Declan Rice to play in Trossard, only for the 29-year-old to see his effort saved.

Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri were introduced as Arsenal looked to get a late winner, and after Hermansen made one more save from Riccardo Calafiori, it was one corner too many in the 94th minute as Trossard's effort was deflected in by Wilfred Ndidi to win the game. Havertz added a late goal to seal it with one of the final kicks of the match.

Positives

Arsenal's victory puts them on level points with Manchester City, while they continued to show how they continue to win games late, while being the best in the league at converting set pieces. Bukayo Saka's performance was also noteworthy, in an almost faultless display on the day.

Negatives

There were some moments when concentration could have been better, with Calafiori taking a chance on a yellow card -- but those were minor negatives in an otherwise convincing performance.

Manager rating (1-10)

Mikel Arteta, 7 -- Arteta's side created more than enough chances to win the game, and the Arsenal manager was unlucky to see his side concede from a deflected set piece and then a spectacular strike. Some might argue he could have made the introduction of Sterling sooner, but the Gunners did have a massive chance to retake the lead a minute before he came on.

Player ratings (1-10; 10: best. Players introduced after 70 minutes receive no rating)

GK David Raya, 5 -- There was little to do for Raya as Arsenal dominated the first half, but he had to pick the ball out of his net moments after the restart, with Leicester City converting from their free kick.

DF Riccardo Calafiori, 6 -- The Italy international combined well with Martinelli when advancing up the left flank, and was encouraged to shoot by the Emirates Stadium crowd after his effort against Manchester City last week. He could have been tighter to Justin before his strike, and was also careless with some challenges which may have seen him sent off on another day. Almost scored the winner with a powerful header but was denied by Hermansen.

DF Gabriel Magalhães, 6 -- Gabriel was a constant danger on set pieces as usual and came close to scoring when forcing a save from Hermansen. Composed in possession, and helped quickly restart attacks for his side after receiving the ball.

DF William Saliba, 7 -- A strong display from Saliba saw him regularly win the ball back with aggressive challenges high up the pitch, which allowed Arsenal to maintain pressure when their opponents tried to clear the danger. Involved in the first goal when challenging Jamie Vardy who claimed for a foul before the Gunners scored, but there didn't look to be too much in it. Booked in the second half for a foul on Vardy.

DF Jurriën Timber, 7 -- Timber fared well against Leicester City's attempts to counter-attack and dealt well against the threat of Stephy Mavididi. Registered an assist with a low cross that was delivered across the box to Martinelli.

MF Thomas Partey, 6 -- Kept things ticking in midfield by moving the ball on to Arsenal's more creative players, but didn't have too much to do defensively, with the majority of Leicester City's attacks going down the flanks.

MF Declan Rice, 7 -- An all-round strong midfield performance saw Rice help control the game as well as win possession back consistently, impressing with his decision-making. Played in Trossard after a big error from Hermansen, and was unlucky not to get an assist after the goalkeeper made amends with a save.

MF Kai Havertz, 6 -- The 25-year-old timed his runs well into the penalty area and was able to connect with multiple crosses but couldn't trouble the goalkeeper. He was also too deep from Leicester City's free kick, deflecting Justin's effort into his own goal. Got himself on the scoresheet late on to seal Arsenal's 4-2 victory.

FW Gabriel Martinelli, 8 -- Martinelli always looked to beat his marker down the left-flank and where he provided a regular option when Arsenal won the ball back high up the pitch. Got things up and running with a strong finish from Timber's low cross, and then turned provider to assist Trossard as the Gunners made it 2-0. Replaced by Sterling in the second half.

FW Leandro Trossard, 8 -- The Belgium international got into consistent intelligent positions and was rewarded at the end of the first half as he finished accurately from Martinelli's cut-back. Missed a big chance in the second half but made amends with his effort that was deflected into the goal in the 94th minute.

FW Bukayo Saka, 9 -- There was always a sense that something could happen when Saka had the ball on the right-flank, where Leicester City even struggled to deal with the 23-year-old when they doubled up on him. Impressed when beating his man down the line as well as cutting inside, and he consistently carried the ball into dangerous areas before creating shooting opportunities for himself and his teammates.

Substitutes (players introduced after 70 minutes = no rating)

Raheem Sterling (on for Martinelli, 74"), N/R -- Positive in possession and tried to beat his marker down the line, but couldn't get his deliveries into the box.

Ethan Nwaneri (Partey, 85"), N/R -- Brought on and provided an instant lift to the crowd amid a confident performance, and was involved as he helped win the corner that put Leicester under all sorts of pressure.

Gabriel Jesus (Trossard, 98",) N/R -- Introduced as Arsenal looked to play the remainder of the game out.

- Adam Brown

WHY ARSENAL, ARTETA COULD FINALLY LIFT THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE

Arsenal are preparing to finally beat Manchester City in a Premier League title race at the third attempt. This season is their best chance yet. Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

 How do Arsenal improve on a record-breaking year this time around? In the 2023-24 campaign, they posted their most wins (28), most goals (91) and best-ever goal difference (plus-62) in a Premier League season, yet still missed out on a first title since 2004. Some connected to the club could be forgiven for feeling a little demoralised by standing in the shadow of the relentless juggernaut that is Manchester City -- who have won a record four consecutive titles and six of the past seven -- but Arsenal co-chair Josh Kroenke believes the Gunners are only just getting started.

"When you see what they are out there doing on the pitch, on matchday, and the way they are connecting, our new prematch anthem, you feel the energy shifting," he told ESPN.

"It starts with a feeling. It is like getting a train going. It takes a lot of coal. You get that thing going and then it's chug, chug [motions wheels turning], and once the train starts to go it is hard to stop, and right now our train is leaving the station."

The ultimate destination Arsenal are aiming to reach: ending a two-decade wait for a league crown. Pep Guardiola's City side will once again start as hot favourites, so how can Arsenal kick on to make sure they finish on top? Here is where the Gunners have searched for marginal gains to take that final step to glory.

Pre-preseason

Sources have told ESPN that Arteta and his coaching staff consider an eight-week break too long for elite-level athletes to maintain their peak physical condition. And so, while the majority of his squad were engaged in international action at either Euro 2024 or the Copa America, Arteta took nine first-team players to Marbella at the beginning of July for what was effectively a precursor to the preseason. Those involved worked on their conditioning, but there was an effort to ensure a sense of work/life balance: sources say that families were invited on the trip, at least one barbecue was held, and players were given the majority of the evenings to themselves to do with as they saw fit.

Sources have also told ESPN that Arteta's message to the squad has been that they either "come to preseason to get ready, or you start preseason ready" so that they can hit the ground running when the serious stuff starts against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. Arteta has stated his belief there are clear signs that the high levels of determination and hunger within the group have not been diminished by two near-misses as City twice pipped them to the title.

Summer signings

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal's internal analysis flagged left-back as an obvious area for improvement. Jurriën Timber's knee injury on the opening day of last season -- the £34 million signing from Ajax only returned for the final game of the campaign -- was a hammer blow to their planning. It led to a situation in which Oleksandr Zinchenko, Jakub Kiwior and Takehiro Tomiyasu all deputised, with mixed results. The uncertainty led opponents to target Arsenal's left side as an exploitable weakness.

Timber's return, combined with the £42m acquisition of Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna, emphatically strengthens that position. It is possible either Kiwior or Zinchenko could yet depart before the summer transfer deadline as Califiori's versatility -- the Italy international can play at centre-back or left-back -- could create an opportunity to recoup some money if a suitable offer is received.

Related to that point about the backline, centre-back William Saliba was one of only three Arsenal players to play every minute in last season's Premier League. Sources have told ESPN that Arteta believes a little more rotation may be required, especially at the business end of the season, if Arsenal are still competing on multiple fronts.

The only league game Arsenal lost in 2024 was at home to Aston Villa, a fixture which fell between the two legs of their Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich. They were knocked out of Europe three days after losing to Villa. These are fine margins, of course, but a little more quality would enable Arteta to rotate and maintain the intensity of his group. It was noticeable, for example, that they only managed one win from five Champions League away games last season.

Arteta has previously cited a desire to work with a slightly smaller group of around 20 outfield players with a more interchangeable level of quality, similar to Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Last season, Arsenal used the joint fewest number of players in the Premier League at 25 -- a number tied with Fulham and City.

Sources have told ESPN that Arsenal are in talks over signing Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad, with Arteta keen on signing the midfielder who helped Spain win Euro 2024 to ease the burden on Declan Rice in midfield.

Arsenal's thinking is more fluid when it comes to signing attacking reinforcements. Kai Havertz surprised the club in his ability to play through the middle last season, with Arteta admitting in April that "when it flows, you have to let it go" in reference to his revamped team clicking into gear. Havertz provided nine goals and nine assists in Arsenal's last 17 Premier League games of the season, easing pressure on the search for a forward this summer.

Gabriel Jesus returned to preseason in promising form, while Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli could also play through the middle if required. Eddie Nketiah has been deemed surplus to requirements, but has yet to secure a move away from the club.

Arsenal have been weighing whether to sign a striker or a winger. Benjamin Šeško was of interest before he signed a new deal at RB Leipzig, while the Gunners opted not to follow up long-standing interest in Pedro Neto, who left Wolves to join Chelsea earlier this week. They remain open to an addition with two weeks left in the window, but do not feel under great pressure to act.

More trust in the academy

There has been frustration among Arsenal supporters that several promising academy prospects have been allowed to depart this summer, including Amario Cozier-Duberry, Reuell Walters and Chido Obi-Martin.

Arteta has shown something of a reluctance to trust youngsters with the responsibility of playing for the first team, although in Obi-Martin's case, sources have suggested there were financial reasons behind the striker's proposed move to Manchester United.

Fresh impetus could come from two exciting prospects in Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Nwaneri became the youngest-ever player to appear in the Premier League in September 2022, aged 15 years and 181 days. The midfielder, now 17, showed promise in preseason -- as did Lewis-Skelly, also 17 -- and both will hope for opportunities to help Arsenal's first team progress this term.

On a wider point, sources have told ESPN there is a step change in Arsenal's approach to signing up young talent, seeking to invest more aggressively to help increase the flow of talent coming out of the club's Hale End academy in the years to come.

Will Man City finally slip up?

There is also the possibility that Arsenal may not have to surpass last season's 89-point tally to win the title. Arteta has spoken (with a wry smile) about targeting the maximum 114 points possible and working back from there, and that is a reflection of the standards City have set; their six title-winning campaigns were achieved with points totals of: 100, 98, 86, 93, 89 and 91.

There is, of course, every chance City could post a similar total again, and they rightly start as favourites. But there is more uncertainty about City heading into this new season than in previous years.

The departure of Julián Álvarez and a serious injury to young winger Oscar Bobb leaves the reigning champions scrambling in the market. Guardiola is entering the final year of his contract, while City will also begin defending themselves against 115 alleged breaches of Premier League rules next month in a case that threatens to hang over the whole season.

Arsenal, by contrast, are in a more serene place. Arteta has entered the final year of his contract too, but there remains a widespread expectation that he will sign a new deal. The manager himself hinted as such in an interview with ESPN earlier this summer.

There is a sense that the Gunners are still on an upward trajectory with a young, vibrant squad ready to break new ground. Time will tell if they can.

- James Olley, Senior Writer, ESPN FC

GOALS/ASSISTS PER 90 MINUTES | ETHAN NWANERI

 

ARSENAL FANS SINGING GRANIT XHAKA'S NAME AND APPLAUDING ETHAN NWANERI

EBERECHI EZE'S BEHAVIOUR SPEAKS VOLUMES AS ARSENAL HIJACK TOTTENHAM DEAL FOR PALACE STAR

Eberechi Eze has been the model professional at Crystal Palace(Image: Getty Images)

This summer has seen Premier League stars down tools to secure moves away, but Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze has kept his head down before sealing his dream transfer to Arsenal

Eberechi Eze’s professionalism for Crystal Palace despite knowing he's been likely to move on this month shows exactly the kind of character Arsenal are getting. The Palace talisman, 27, was seemingly set to join Tottenham until Wednesday night’s bombshell news that their north London rivals had hijacked the deal.

The Gunners had cooled their interest in the England international after agreeing a contract extension for 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri. That opened up the floor for Spurs to emerge as favourites to land Eze, who was up for making the move but had preferred to join his boyhood club, Arsenal.

Several days of difficult negotiations followed between Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and Palace co-owner Steve Parish over a fee, only for Arsenal to brutally cast their bitter rivals aside by agreeing a deal with the south London club. According to The Athletic, the Gunners submitted a bid in the region of Eze’s £68million release clause, which expired earlier this summer, matching the fee rivals Spurs were prepared to pay.

Arsenal then moved quickly to agree personal terms with the attacking midfielder. The Independent reports they had actually struck the principles of an agreement with Palace as early as the morning of Sunday, August 10, but did not appear to want to follow through on that agreement as they preferred to sign a left-winger - until forward Kai Havertz’s injury blow left them short offensively.

Eze is expected to undergo his medical after playing for Palace in Thursday’s Conference League play-off against Fredrikstad, which is likely to be his last game for the club he joined back in 2020. It demonstrates the same exemplary attitude and commitment the player has shown all summer long amid swirling rumours around his future.

Despite making it clear to Palace that he was open for a new challenge, Eze has not downed tools like various other Premier League stars we have seen in recent weeks, playing in both of their competitive games thus far, having already etched his name into club folklore by winning the FA Cup and the Community Shield.

Eze is now set to become Arsenal’s seventh signing of the window under new sporting director Andrea Berta. And given how vocal the player has been in the past about his love for the Gunners, it is likely he will give his all in an Arsenal shirt too.

Eze was once part of the north Londoners’ academy and has made no secret of his heartbreak when he was released as a 13-year-old. The then-teenager admitted he couldn’t focus on his training and was left “crying for a week” in his room.

Nevertheless, Eze’s affection for the Emirates Stadium outfit remained strong, as he stated in 2018 Thierry Henry was his idol and that Arsenal would win the league that season.

He said: "When I was younger, I used to love Thierry Henry, and that's sort of why I decided to sign for them. Just growing up playing for them, I've grown a love for them."

Eze is set for his 170th and final appearance for Palace, during which time he's scored 40 goals. He has been capped 12 times by England, scoring once.

- Kasra Moradi