Arsenal whizkid, Ethan Nwaneri, has long been known within junior football circles.
The Arsenal midfielder became the Premier League’s youngest- ever player, at 15 years and 181 days, when he came on in Sunday’s 3-0 win at Brentford.
Alexander Tardios, Nwaneri’s head teacher at St John’s School in Enfield, revealed he took just eight minutes to secure a scholarship as a ten-year-old.
Tardios told The Sun: “He’s skilful, powerful, fast and humble.
“Really, Arsenal have something special. And I will go further — England have something special as he gets older.
“I would make a comparison with Cesc Fabregas, I would definitely make a comparison with Jack Wilshere because he’s got that skill and natural ability.
“The first time I saw him was at the school academy trial day and we had a football pitch that was full of academy players from football clubs.
“You’re looking for that talent that might just about stand out.
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“But Ethan was head and shoulders above the other children, he was just passing them as if they weren’t there.
“We had to take him off because no other player could touch the ball and he got his full scholarship within eight minutes.
“I then texted someone with a lot of knowledge about football and said, ‘Do you know someone called Ethan Nwaneri?’
“And his simple text to me was, ‘Yes, he’s spectacular’.”