Arsenal prepare ‘formal contract offer’ for attacker as Andrea Berta’s ‘will’ revealed

Arsenal reportedly intend to send Ethan Nwaneri‘s camp a ‘formal’ contract offer, and there is a ‘will’ from both sides to come to an agreement.

The Premier League’s youngest-ever player has now entered the last 12 months of his current agreement with his boyhood club, but an extension has been a priority for Andrea Berta for several weeks.

Over the past couple of days, Arsenal were reported to have made progress in discussions with Nwaneri’s entourage following suggestions that Chelsea were casting a watchful eye over his situation.

The Blues are about to lose Noni Madueke to Arsenal, and the 23-year-old’s imminent arrival could potentially bump Nwaneri further down the pecking order, leading to understandable concerns over his game time.

However, Arsenal have reportedly done their utmost to convince Nwaneri that there is a pathway at the Emirates for him, and according to BBC Sport, an official contract offer is forthcoming.

Nwaneri, Arsenal share ‘will’ to agree new contract

Negotiations between the two parties are supposedly set to ramp up in the coming days, and there is a desire from both sides to prolong the partnership for the next few seasons.

The proposed renewal is expected to either be a fixed five-year agreement until the end of the 2029-30 season, or a four-year deal with the option of an additional 12 months.

The ‘definitive breakthrough’ is yet to be reached, but discussions are progressing well, and Arsenal chiefs are increasingly optimistic that they will get a new deal for their Hale End product over the line.

Nwaneri became the youngest man to appear in the Premier League when he came off the bench against Brentford aged 15 years and 181 days in September 2022, two years before his breakthrough campaign.

The 2007-born product came up with nine goals in 37 matches across all competitions in the 2024-25 season, and he was a part of the England Under-21 squad that defended their Euros title earlier this summer.

Nwaneri to become third of seven Arsenal renewals?

Given the rife competition for places in Arsenal’s attack, any hesitancy from Nwaneri over a new deal would be entirely understandable, but the 18-year-old is now seemingly more likely than not to commit his future to the Gunners.

If so, the 18-year-old could become Arsenal’s third renewal of a hectic summer after Gabriel Magalhaes and fellow academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly, whom he shares a particularly strong bond with.

However, the contract work will not stop for Berta once Nwaneri’s extension is agreed, as Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli‘s situations all need addressing.

Trossard is also in the last year of his current contract, and it was reported a couple of months ago that he could be in line for a long-term extension; reports of a preliminary agreement with Fenerbahce are understood to be wide of the mark.

Meanwhile, Saka, Saliba and Martinelli’s terms expire in 2027, but Arsenal can trigger a 12-month extension in the latter’s deal.

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