Arsenal wonderkids Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly set for England promotion, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich battle Chelsea and Tottenham for £50m centre back and Man City make swoop for future star

Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri is being considered for an England promotion following his brilliant form for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The 17-year-old has been excellent since the turn of the year after being thrust into a regular starting role owing to Arsenal’s crippling injury crisis in attack.

His performances have led to calls for Nwaneri to be fast-tracked into Thomas Tuchel’s senior squad, despite the fact he is yet to feature for the Under 21s.

Internally at the FA, the prospect of Nwaneri going straight into Tuchel’s squad is not being completely ruled out, but there is a view the youngster would benefit from at least one call-up for Under 21s.

Nwaneri has nine caps for the Under 19s but is on course to be moved up into either the Under 21s or the seniors.

While a call-up into Lee Carsley’s Under 21s for their friendlies against France and Portugal is rated as most likely, Nwaneri could emerge into Tuchel’s thinking should the senior head coach suffer attacking injuries between now and his first squad announcement next Friday.

Nwaneri is being hailed as one of the brightest English prospects of his generation following his excellent performances this season.

He became the third-youngest player to score a Champions League knockout goal this week, with his blistering strike against PSV Eindhoven in Arsenal’s stunning 7-1 win. There is no doubt inside the FA that the teenager will become an England regular in the not too distant future.

Indeed, earlier this week former England star Joe Cole, after Nwaneri scored his eighth goal of the season in Eindhoven on Tuesday night, said the teenager is so talented that he should bypass the Under 21s and head straight into the senior set-up.

And while that prospect is not being completely dismissed, there remains a view that there is value in easing Nwaneri into senior international football.

Nwaneri has been a key player for Will Antwi’s Under 19s during their European Championship qualification games, scoring twice in their three group games so far.

The Under 19s face two important qualifiers in March and Nwaneri’s selection would certainly come as a major boost for Antwi ahead of the games versus Wales and Turkey.

However, there is an acceptance that Nwaneri will likely move up the age groups for the next set of international fixtures.

There is a similar situation looming with Nwaneri’s team-mate Myles Lewis-Skelly, who is also in line for an upgrade in his international status following his excellent breakthrough season.

Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri have been near-inseparable ever since they joined the Arsenal academy together at the age of eight, and that is set to continue in their England careers too.

Lewis-Skelly has also been an important player for Antwi playing in all three of their qualifiers so far – supplying the assist for Nwaneri’s goal in the win over Bulgaria in November, and also set up his goal for Arsenal in Eindhoven this week.

But like his fellow Arsenal academy graduate, there is a feeling that Lewis-Skelly is ready for a promotion into, at least, the Under 21s.

England’s dearth of left backs makes Lewis-Skelly, 18, an interesting option for Tuchel ahead of the World Cup qualifiers versus Latvia and Albania, with Newcastle’s Lewis Hall out injured for the season, Luke Shaw still sidelined and Ben Chilwell, who is on loan at Crystal Palace from Chelsea, having fallen out of favour.

But if Lewis-Skelly is not called up into the senior he is set to earn his first selection for the Under 21s.

Tuchel has already spoken to a number of players ahead of his first squad selection.

And Mail Sport understands the German coach has continued dialogue with his players, regularly texting a number of his key squad members to check on their condition heading into his first camp.

Huijsen on top clubs’ radar 

Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen will be subject of major interest from Europe’s top sides this summer with Bayern Munich and Real Madrid both interested in signing the 19-year-old.

Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle also want the teenage central defender but the growing sense is that Huijsen will move to one of the continental’s elite clubs when he eventually leaves the south coast.

The youngster has a reported £50million release clause and a number of teams are understood to have already registered their interest ahead of the summer window.

Bournemouth are facing a huge fight to keep their promising team together ahead of next season with Huijsen not the only player attracting attention – Milos Kerkez, Antoine Semenyo and Illiya Zabarnyi are also on the radar of numerous sides.

The stars of England’s Euros documentary 

Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi and Chelsea forward Cole Palmer have landed lead roles in a forthcoming documentary around England’s Euro 2024 campaign.

The duo will feature heavily in the feature, which is due to be aired later this month, which is based around the unexpected heroes of England’s run to the European Championship final in Germany last year.

Palmer scored England’s goal in the 2-1 defeat by Spain in the final, while Guehi was one of their stars of the tournament at centre back. 

An industry description of the documentary given the working title England’s Lions: The New Generation reads: ‘A feature length football documentary about four new England football players who were crucial in taking England to the Euro 2024 final yet none of them were Gareth Southgate’s first choice.’

City swoop for Foxes wonderkid 

Manchester City are moving to seal a move for Leicester City’s highly rated teenager Jeremy Monga.

Monga has already been named on the Foxes bench this season despite being just 15, but is wanted by champions City.

The winger has made five appearances in the Under 18 Premier League, racking up four assists and a goal. 

It is likely any deal would need to go through a tribunal process, nevertheless City are moving forward with their interest.

Fighting talk 

One Premier League head coach left his players flabbergasted recently after advising them to take up mixed martial arts as part of their training schedule.

Many players do extra training away from the auspices of their clubs to ensure they are in optimum condition for the rigours of professional football.

But a top flight boss shocked his players by recommending MMA sessions with a view to helping them ‘toughen up’.

Given the nature of the sport, the prospect of suffering injury left the players skeptical to say the least.

Arsenal close in on new sporting director 

Arsenal are still to make a final decision on the identity of their next sporting director, though the process is drawing to a close.

Mail Sport understands the shortlist has been whittled down to up to four candidates, with a final round of internal discussions still to take place.

Andrea Berta has been heavily linked with the position in recent days and is among the shortlisted contenders for the position vacated by Edu, who is on course to take up a position with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis’ stable of clubs.

However, discussions over Edu’s replacement are ongoing with no formal offer made to any candidates as things stand.

Interim sporting director Jason Ayto is also a candidate having impressed internally during his temporary stint in the position.

The fact Ayto has been part of the process of putting together Arsenal’s transfer plans ahead of the summer window is viewed as an advantage by certain figures at the Emirates, though other influential individuals see merit in making an experienced and high profile external appointment.

Pogba’s aid for Gaza

Paul Pogba has collaborated with humanitarian charity Pious Projects of America to provide aid to the victims of the Gaza crisis.

The World Cup winner has made a large donation to the organisation, who have now delivered hot meals on behalf of Pogba to the thousands impacted by the heartbreaking conflict.

Meanwhile, the former Manchester United winger is continuing with his training schedule ahead of his return to football later this calendar year.

A number of clubs in Europe, America and the Middle East have an interest in the 31-year-old.

Major agency makes sets sight on taking over sport 

Celebrity talent agency Mokkingbird are launching an exciting sports management arm to their operation which specialises in women’s football.

The London based-firm, whose high-profile roster boasts TV personalities Vicky Pattison, Pete Wicks and JB Gill, will, on Friday, start MKB Sport – a company dedicated to representing participants across all female sports.

The company – led by Mokkingbird founders Gemma Wheatley and Nadia King and their long-term associate Ellen Rusby – will launch on International Women’s Day.

Wheatley told Mail Sport: ‘We are a company built by women, for women. In an industry traditionally shaped by men in suits, female athletes deserve more: a management team that truly understands their unique journeys, challenges, and ambitions.

‘Our team is led by women who bring firsthand insights and a commitment to shaping a new era of sports management where women’s voices are at the forefront, and their needs are genuinely understood and championed.’

England’s new No 9? 

The FA have been alerted to the blistering form of striker Mika Biereth, who has scored 10 goals in seven games since joining Monaco.

Biereth, 22, joined the Ligue 1 club in January and has since scored three hat-tricks in his first seven games, a French top-flight record that has not gone unnoticed by figures inside the governing body.

The striker, who came through Fulham’s academy and Arsenal sold to Sturm Graz last summer before he joined Monaco, is currently in Denmark’s pathway and has played for their Under 21s. But he is also eligible for England as he was born in London.

Given Biereth has shown a commitment to Denmark at junior level, the expectancy is for the striker to remain under their umbrella. But his goalscoring exploits have caught the eye of the FA, who are aware of Biereth’s availability.

The striker said recently: ‘It’s a unique situation. There are not many players who can play for four countries.

‘My mother was born and raised in Bosnia, my father is Danish-German, and I have lived in England.’