Manchester City set to sign Arsenal wonderkid this summer: report

Manchester City and Arsenal managers Pep Guardiola and Mikel Arteta respectively embrace during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal FC at Etihad Stadium on April 26, 2023 in Manchester, United Kingdom.
(Image credit: Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images)

Manchester City are in 'pole position' to sign an Arsenal wonderkid to double the misery over dealt by the Citizens to the Gunners this season.

The weekend's action saw Pep Guardiola's side trounce Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park, while Arsenal lost to Brighton & Hove Albion by the same scoreline. The results mean that Manchester City can seal a third title in a row against Chelsea next weekend – though another Arsenal loss first against Nottingham Forest would send the trophy to the Etihad early. 

And after a bruising season in which Mikel Arteta has come out second-best to his former mentor, rumours are now circling that he could be about to lose one of his most promising young stars to the relentless Eastlands outfit, too.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and captain Martin Odegaard look dejected during the Gunners' 3-0 loss to Brighton in May 2023.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has all but finished second to City – now might see one of his young stars leave for the champions elect (Image credit: Getty Images)

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are growing ever-confident about landing the precocious Ethan Nwaneri from the Gunners, with the teenager's future in the balance. 

Nwaneri became the youngest Premier League footballer of all time when he appeared in the dying embers of the away victory at Brentford earlier this season. So young, in fact, was the 15-year-old that he had to get changed separately away from the rest of his team-mates. 

Arteta claimed that he had a "gut feeling" about throwing the midfielder into action but it has been suggested that perhaps the Gunners boss gave Nwaneri minutes in an attempt to show him that there is a pathway to the first-team under him in north London. 

Chelsea and City have both been linked with a move for Nwaneri since, who Gunners youth coach Jack Wilshere has branded "exceptional"

Ethan Nwaneri (R) of Arsenal applauds the fans next to Gabriel Martinelli following the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Arsenal FC at Brentford Community Stadium on September 18, 2022 in Brentford, England.

Ethan Nwaneri is the Premier League's youngest-ever player (Image credit: Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

This might not be the only business conducted between City and Arsenal this summer. Spanish outlet Sport claims that the Gunners are pursuing Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer, while 90min says that Joao Cancelo is a target, too.

City lead the table by four points with a game in hand. 

More Manchester City and Arsenal stories

With Erling Haaland breaking goal records a-plenty, Pep Guardiola said that Manchester City are monitoring the striker's fitness "24 hours a day".

Ilkay Gundogan is rumoured to be a major target for Barcelona this summer, while Guardiola has explained why major City stars are being subbed early. One Burnley star has told FFT that Vincent Kompany could manage the Citizens one day.

Mason Mount is an option in midfield, with Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic and Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby rumoured in the attack. Both Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins and Crystal Palace star Wilf Zaha are on the radar, too. Younger stars are interesting the Gunners, too: Vitor Roque might end up at the Emirates, while Flamengo's Matheus Franca is being watched. 

Meanwhile, cult hero Mathieu Flamini has refused to rule out a move to buy Arsenal. 

Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.