Ethan Nwaneri facing nightmare amid Arsenal star's 'persistent impression' and financial clause

Ethan Nwaneri's loan spell at Marseille has taken a turn for the worse as the Arsenal prodigy continues to be denied playing time in France

On-loan Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri has not started a game for Marseille in over two months. This comes despite a clause in his deal that increases the loan fee the less he features.

In search of valuable first-team experiences, the promising young Nwaneri was shipped out to Marseille on loan in January. Under Roberto De Zerbi, who is coincidentally now the manager of Arsenal's bitter rivals Tottenham, he made waves early on and grabbed a goal on debut.

But since the Italian's departure by mutual consent, new boss Habib Beye has evidently not taken to the 19-year-old attacker, and he has found himself riding the bench week after week.

This lack of playing time is even more alarming when reports of Nwaneri's impact behind the scenes are considered, as well as the fact that the loan deal supposedly means Marseille pay less in fees the more that the teenager plays.

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French outlet L'Equipe has reported that during the young Englishman's time with Marseille, he has exhibited a 'persistent impression of nonchalance' behind the scenes.

It has also been revealed that the loan fee Marseille pay Arsenal is tied to how many minutes the youngster plays.

Nwaneri is essentially costing Marseille money every time he sits on the bench, but this seemingly hasn't concerned Beye, who in his team's latest 3-1 win over Metz, opted not to give the 19-year-old a second of playing time.

Given these factors, Nwaneri will likely want to put this loan spell behind him when he returns to the Emirates in the summer. The prospect of a permanent move to France had already been ruled out long before he fell out of favour with Beye.

Speaking during the early stages of his move, Nwaneri shed light on what attracted him to Marseille. He said: "First of all, I think Olympique de Marseille is a very big club.

"The coaches, the fans, the way they play, it's extraordinary. The fans really give it their all. I think it's a great opportunity for me. I didn't hesitate.

"I think that's why I came. The experience of seeing a big club like this, learning as much as possible, and being able to really add that to my skill set at the end of the season.

"When I came here, obviously I wasn't yet 100 per cent fit, but I'm working on it. I've also spoken with the staff and I think I'll be able to play more and more. I felt good during the last match. That's normal, of course, it's a process. There haven't been any injuries, so I feel good, honestly."