"He’s that good, he doesn’t need the U21s" - Joe Cole believes Arsenal teenager can be 'an England player for the next 10, 15 years'

Joe Cole has spoken glowingly about Arsenal's 17-year-old wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri. The England legend believes that Nwaneri has the potential for a long-haul career playing for the Three Lions.

At the end of this month, England play both Albania (March 21) and Latvia (March 24) in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. This will be head coach Thomas Tuchel's first time in charge of the national team, since taking over from outgoing manager Gareth Southgate.

Tuchel will make his first squad announcement in due course, and Nwaneri's age might keep the Arsenal youngster out of the squad. At just 17, he is still just breaking through the Gunners' team, but Joe Cole has insisted that he can already compete at the highest level. The former England man said on TNT Sports (via TBR Football):

“For me, he’s that good, he doesn’t need the U21s in my opinion. He’s that good, he needs to go straight in with Thomas Tuchel, use him, get around the players, bringing him off the bench, blooding him in there.”

Cole continued:

“He’s an England player for the next 10, 15 years, wonderful talent, great mentality, he’s at the right club for him at the right time and I’d be stunned if Thomas Tuchel doesn’t say I want to have a look at him in close quarters and bring him into this squad.”

England have a tradition of fast-tracking exceptional young talents, with Wayne Rooney, Jude Bellingham, and Theo Walcott all making their senior debuts at 17. If chosen and given a chance this month, Nwaneri could become the seventh youngest player in the Three Lions' history.

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Arsenal prodigy Ethan Nwaneri closing in on Premier League scoring record

Ethan Nwaneri is closing in on a Premier League scoring record, and may mark the history books if he scores another two goals. England greats Owen and Rooney jointly occupy this unique niche of scoring nine goals before turning 18.

Nwaneri is about to enter that company, as he has seven matches before his 18th birthday on March 21. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has responded on if the attacking midfielder can cross the mark, telling the press (via club website):

"I don’t think that he needs any pushing! You see him every time he has the ball what the intention is, so if he comes, he comes, and it’s great and really impressive again the way he behaved, the way he played tonight. It’s about consistency now, doing it again three days later in another big stadium."

Nwaneri has become the youngest player to debut in the Premier League for Arsenal, doing so at 15. He has scored eight goals in 29 senior games for the Gunners, and will look to add two more to his tally.