Liverpool Cool Interest in Arsenal Starlet Ethan Nwaneri

Liverpool have cooled talk of a move for Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri, despite holding what has been described as “admiration for his abilities”.

On Wednesday, a post from a “team of five elite reporters” on X claimed Liverpool and Arsenal had been “locked in intense, high-level talks ALL DAY” over the teenager, with Arsenal supposedly looking to sell him this summer. The suggestion was clear: Liverpool were in deep on one of the most coveted young talents in England.

The reality is very different.

Liverpool’s winger hunt takes a different route

Liverpool are in the market for a right-sided attacker as they plan for life after Mohamed Salah. Nwaneri, who can operate off the right or as a No 10, has inevitably been floated as a left-field option as the window gathers pace.

Their primary focus, though, lies in Paris. The club’s top targets for the wide positions remain Paris Saint-Germain pair Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye. Talks with PSG are ongoing, with the French champions slapping a huge combined price tag of around €200m (£171m) on the duo. Liverpool are working to drag that figure down.

Against that backdrop, reports of a full-scale pursuit of Nwaneri always felt like a stretch. And on Thursday, Anfield Sector moved to shut the story down, stating on X that while Liverpool admire Nwaneri as a footballer, there is “no desire to complete a transfer currently as things stand”.

So, for now, Liverpool’s search stays fixed on Barcola and Mbaye, not Arsenal’s prodigy.

Arsenal’s stance: open, but not pushing

Arsenal, for their part, are walking a careful line with Nwaneri and fellow academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly. Both are attracting serious attention across Europe after standout spells at youth and first-team level.

Asked directly about the pair’s futures, Arsenal CEO Richard Garlick addressed the growing speculation.

“There’s been a lot of speculation around players,” he said. “I can’t stop other clubs being interested. I think Myles has 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 I think 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.”

Arsenal are not pushing Nwaneri out of the door. But they are listening.

Europe lines up for Nwaneri

While Liverpool step back, others are stepping forward.

Fabrizio Romano revealed this week that interest in Nwaneri is flooding in from across the continent. “Talking about Ethan Nwaneri… a lot of interest,” he said on Monday.

“AC Milan made contact with Arsenal, German clubs made contact with Arsenal, Galatasaray made contact with Arsenal, and then, Premier League clubs are coming.

“There is a feeling at Arsenal that Premier League clubs are now going to knock on the door and try to get a deal done for Ethan Nwaneri.

“So there’s going to be a lot of movement on the boy, and obviously it’ll be on Nwaneri to decide, because the expectation is to see a lot of proposals and movement.

“He’ll be a very interesting market opportunity, but at the same time it’s Nwaneri deciding with his agents and family, so we have to wait and see what’s going to happen there.”

The queue is forming. AC Milan have made their move. Galatasaray have made contact. Clubs in Germany are in the frame. Premier League rivals are circling.

And there is more.

TEAMtalk reported on Thursday that Borussia Dortmund are actively searching for a new winger and hold concrete interest in Nwaneri. For a club with a proven track record of developing young English talent and selling at a premium, the profile fits.

A premium price – and a safety net

Any club hoping to prise Nwaneri away will have to pay for the privilege. Reports value the England youth international in the £35–50m bracket. On top of that, Arsenal are expected to push for a buy-back clause, a safety net to ensure they retain some control over his long-term future.

So Nwaneri stands at a crossroads: a highly rated teenager with a growing list of suitors, a sizeable price tag, and a club willing to sell only on their terms.

Liverpool, despite the noise, are not in that race right now. Others very much are. The next decision belongs to Nwaneri and those around him – and it could shape one of the most intriguing careers of this generation.