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Football

Former Arsenal player says Ethan Nwaneri could be better than Lamine Yamal, but only on one condition

DAZN

10, Apr

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Emmanuel Eboué believes Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly have the potential to become among "the best" players in the world, but only if they continue to work hard and take football seriously.

Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have each worked their way into the Arsenal first team this season, earning Mikel Arteta's trust as they grow into full-time professionals. The teenagers have turned heads with some of their performances, helping Arsenal manage an injury crisis with some key players missing a considerable amount of time during the campaign.

For Eboué, who spent over six seasons with the Gunners, the youngsters have shown that they belong in the Arsenal first team.

Read next | Manchester United legend says that even a Europa League win is not enough to save disappointing season

“I’ve watched them do really well this year," Eboué told aceodds.com. "Ethan is a very good player. The Arsenal academy is doing a great job. Ethan comes off the bench and makes an impact every time. He’s very quick and technically gifted.

“Ethan has to keep working hard. He’s still young, and him and Lewis-Skelly need to put in the hard work. People will be watching them to see if they can deliver consistently over time.”

The ability to perform consistently will be what ultimately determines whether Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly reach their full potential according to Eboué, who pointed to Lamine Yamal as someone who had both the talent and the drive to succeed at the highest levels.

Eboué said Nwaneri could even surpass the Barcelona wonderkid with the right commitment.

“For example, Yamal is young but performs every week. I think Ethan can be better than Yamal if he works hard and respects the game," he said.

“When I was at Arsenal, I saw some brilliant young players like Theo Walcott, Jack Wilshere, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. People said they’d be the best in the world, but football changes quickly. Soon, people stopped talking about them.

“If you joke with football, football will joke with you. I hope Ethan and Lewis-Skelly work very hard. I will pray for them, because I want them to become the best.”

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