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General Information-
Age: 19
Nationality: English and Nigerian (Played for England youth levels, but still eligible for both senior teams)
Height: 6 ft 3
Position: Central Midfielder
Plays for: Crewe Alexandra (On loan from Arsenal)
Aneke joined Arsenal in 2001, but has so far only managed to make 1 appearance for the Gunners, which came in the Carling cup victory over Shrewsbury in 2011. After making that debut, he went on to have 2 loan spells that season, firstly at Stevenage, who he joined up with from 22nd November 2011 until the March 2012.
He managed to make 6 appearances for the club, while also picking up a 3 game suspension for a high footed tackle against Leyton Orient.
After this loan spell ended, he was only back at parent club Arsenal for a short period of time before being sent on a second loan spell to Preston North End, where he spent the rest of the season making 7 appearances, while also scoring on his debut for the club.
Back at Arsenal for the club’s summer pre-season, he joined them on the clubs tour of Asia where he scored the winner against a Malaysian XI, picking up the ball on the edge of the area, where his strike took a massive deflection off a defender before finding the back of the net.
During the start of the 2012/13 season, Aneke was again sent out on loan. This time to Crewe Alexandra on a month long deal, where so far he has made 2 appearances but has also picked up a red card for a reckless challenge, resulting in a 3 game ban.
Aneke, who has been compared in likes of playing style to that of Arsenal team-mate Abou Diaby, has a lot of pace and power about him, and likes to drive his way through the middle of the park with the ball. He tries to impose himself on the game by bringing the ball into dangerous areas. He’s not afraid to have a shot, despite only having 1 senior club goal to his name; he has scored on several occasions for Arsenal reserves and also the U21 squad.
He has represented England at U16, U17, U18 and U19 levels, but his international future is still unsure of, with him eligibility for Nigeria too, and so far neither country has made any real strides to cap him.
He is a promising prospect, and Arsenal coaches as well as the fans have high hopes for him, but he is going to have to bide his time and hope for plenty of first team football on loan if he hopes to break into Arsenal’s stacked midfield. The club will also hope to curb his disciplinary problems, having picked up 2 red cards in 16 senior club appearances.
Once his short loan spell with Crewe Alexandra ends, there is a possibility he will make some Capital One Cup appearances for Arsenal.
Given Arsenal’s stacked midfield in the senior squad and other promising prospects emerging, Aneke must take every chance he is given to impress, if he hopes to have a future in the Arsenal set up.
