Ethan Nwaneri's unlikely boost after Arsenal treatment left William Saliba angry

If Ethan Nwaneri is wondering whether he made the right decision in joining Marseille, he should look to an Arsenal teammate

If Ethan Nwaneri needs any inspiration after a challenging start to his Marseille loan, he only needs to look to William Saliba's journey.

The 18-year-old moved to the Ligue 1 club last month, seeking regular first-team opportunities that had eluded him under Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Initially, the switch appeared promising, with Nwaneri netting on his debut in a victory over Lens.

Since then, however, things have taken a turn for the worse, with the teenager substituted at the interval in consecutive matches against Rennes in the French Cup and during a 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain, a result that proved to be Roberto De Zerbi's final game in charge.

Nwaneri had arrived at a club where tensions between De Zerbi and his squad were already simmering. French media suggest numerous players were dissatisfied with his training methods and disciplinary demands.

Ensure our latest football headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings

It appears player influence prevailed, as the Italian departed by mutual agreement earlier this week. Former Marseille and Newcastle defender Habib Beye is tipped to replace him.

What this means for Nwaneri's immediate future remains uncertain. Nevertheless, the experience should prove valuable in shaping his character, not unlike Saliba's loan periods away from Arsenal before he became an integral part of the Gunners' backline.

Sliba's journey at Arsenal has been far from smooth. Signed in 2019 during Unai Emery's tenure, the French defender was loaned back to Saint-Etienne for the 2019/20 season, a decision that seemed logical considering his young age.

However, Saliba was less than pleased with a subsequent loan move to Nice, approved by Arteta, for the second half of the 2020/21 season. The defender expressed his dissatisfaction with the decision.

Upon his departure for Nice, an unhappy Saliba said: "The coach immediately told me that I was not ready. I would have at least liked to have had a chance to rediscover my rhythm. But this is football, it's like that."

FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

He further reinforced his viewpoint on RMC's 'Top of the Foot' show, saying: "It is clear that so much has changed in the last year. When I saw that the coach changed, a lot changed for me too.

"In this year, there has been a lot of change. He [Arteta] judged me on two-and-a-half matches. I would have liked for him to play me more but he told me I wasn't ready.

"I was waiting for him to give me a chance, but football is like that. When I initially came to Arsenal, the league looked very good, so I showed up to training and wanted to train on my own to show the coach I was ready."

Despite his grievances, Saliba maintained that he was content with his move to Nice, adding: "I am happy now, I want to play for Nice. The idea when you're part of a team is a better feeling for me."

While Nwaneri might be pondering the wisdom of his loan move to French football, Saliba's journey serves as a reminder that it could ultimately benefit his career.