“I want Odegaard and Declan Rice to take this from his playbook" - Pundit asks Arsenal duo to learn key thing from teenage star

Pundit Perry Groves has advised Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard and record signing Declan Rice to emulate 17-year-old phenom Ethan Nwaneri in a key characteristic. The young midfielder has taken the Premier League by storm in his first senior season, earning rave reviews for his displays.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta appeared to be unwilling to let Nwaneri loose in the opening months of the season but injuries have forced his hand. The academy graduate has been one of the side's most important players in recent weeks, playing with a fearlessness mostly seen in more established players.

Speaking on Inside Gooners, Groves praised the youngster for his confidence in attempting shots from range. He then urged Odegaard and Declan Rice to be more willing to take shots from distance to make the team less predictable. He said (via TBR Football):

“The thing with Nwaneri is, we know about his creativity, but he actually shoots from 20 or 25 yards. As an Arsenal fan I don’t think we take enough shots, we can be formulaic. I want Odegaard and Declan Rice to take this from Nwaneri’s playbook, where when teams are backing off you release a shot, if you start doing that teams close you down and there’s spaces, but if you don’t do that, they will sit deeper.”

Ethan Nwaneri hit the frame of the goal twice with a shot from either foot in the second half of his side's 2-0 win over Leicester City last weekend. The youngster then provided the assist for the first goal in a typically excellent performance.

Nwaneri has scored seven goals for Arsenal this season, dwarfing the tallies of Odegaard and Rice, who have three goals apiece. The teenager has remarkably played only 793 minutes, less than Odegaard (2001) and Rice (2596) for the club this season.

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Arsenal prepare offer for Real Madrid gem: Reports

Arsenal are preparing an offer of £50 million for Real Madrid striker Endrick, as per a report from Fichajes.net. The Gunners are interested in the 18-year-old Brazil international, who has struggled to nail down a regular berth at the Santiago Bernabeu this season.

Endrick completed a long-awaited move to Real Madrid from Palmeiras last summer and scored on his debuts in LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League. The teenager has, however, played only around 400 minutes across competitions this season, leading to rumors of discontent from his camp.

Mikel Arteta's side will look to test the resolve of Real Madrid to keep the Brazil international with an offer to sign him in the summer. The former Palmeiras man will be keen to play regularly, particularly ahead of the FIFA World Cup next year, and may push for a move.