A new battle is brewing between England and Nigeria, and this time, it’s not on the pitch but off it—for the allegiance of Arsenal’s teenage sensation, Ethan Nwaneri.

At just 15 years and 181 days old, Nwaneri made history in September 2022 as the youngest player to ever appear in the Premier League during Arsenal’s clash against Brentford. Since then, his star has only continued to rise. This season alone, the 18-year-old has recorded nine goal contributions in 29 appearances, stepping up for the Gunners amidst injuries to key players like Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus, and Kai Havertz.

His performances have not gone unnoticed. While England has nurtured his talents through the youth ranks, Nigeria is making a determined push to secure his future with the Super Eagles. Due to his Nigerian heritage, Nwaneri remains eligible to switch allegiances despite representing England over 30 times at various youth levels and even scoring on his England U-21 debut against Portugal.

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has already laid out plans to win him over. According to reports, the idea was first proposed by coach Eric Chelle, and a senior NFF board member recently confirmed their intentions: “He’s a fantastic player, and we really want him.”

Nigeria has successfully recruited dual-nationality stars before. Players like Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, and Ola Aina once wore the Three Lions at youth level before switching to the Super Eagles. Now, they aim to repeat history with Nwaneri.

With England boasting a wealth of attacking options, Nwaneri might find his path to the senior team blocked. This gives Nigeria a strong case to lure the young star. As the battle for his international future heats up, one question remains: Will Ethan Nwaneri choose the nation of his birth or his ancestral roots?