Ethan Nwaneri sent brutal message after Marseille injury blow as Mikel Arteta decision backfires

Arsenal's decision to send Ethan Nwaneri out on loan looks to have backfired following the latest verdict from Marseille's head coach

Ethan Nwaneri has been sent a brutal message by Marseille boss Habib Beye. The Arsenal loannee is yet to start a game since the latter replaced Roberto De Zerbi which has seen him forced to make six cameos off the bench and that could well continue despite an injury to Mason Greenwood.

Marseille are set to face Monaco in Ligue 1 tomorrow, with Beye asked in his pre-match press conference about Nwaneri and the Greenwood replacement decision he must make.

The 48-year-old said: "He [Nwaneri] is a big talent who needs to adapt to the intensity of Ligue 1. He looks like the ideal replacement for Mason but we have several quality players to choose from. He must understand he's come to a very, very high-level club."

Such comments from Beye suggest it will not be a return to the starting XI for Nwaneri despite his goal off the bench when replacing Greenwood before the international break.

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Under De Zerbi, who is now at Tottenham, Nwaneri was operating as one of the No.10s and found great joy which saw him start all Marseille games he was available for. Since Beye became head coach, Nwaneri's minutes have been far more inconsistent and he was even taken off in the game he started as a substitute before coming on.

De Zerbi and the likelihood of guaranteed minutes were huge factors in the decision made by Arteta to send him to Marseille with it now appearing as though that call has backfired.

Injury problems at Arsenal saw concerns emerge over Nwaneri's loan move, though Arteta brushed off any idea that he regretted the decision.

He said: "After making the decision, who could have predicted that Mikel was going to be out for five months and Kai? It’s unfortunate, in the end we have to make the decisions in the moment, understanding the context there.

“The best decision for the club, for Ethan, was for him to go and experience a different environment, have minutes played, and get ready to come back to us.”

Doubt has since been casted over his and Myles Lewis-Skelly's long-term futures in north London with Manchester United taking an interest in the latter having already poached Ayden Heaven and Chido Obi from the Gunners.

Max Dowman is Arsenal's other wonderkid being raved about with the 15-year-old scoring for fun at all age groups this season. However, Gabriel Jesus has revealed that Nwaneri is actually the best finisher at the club.

Speaking on Rio Ferdinand’s YouTube channel, Jesus said: “Ethan, I tell you, he’s a killer in front of the goal. He’s a killer. Incredible!

“We play a D-zone game, like the coach has the ball and they play to one player on the edge of the box (and we shoot). And my guy, Ethan, is the best I have seen. Out of 10, nine goals. Even 10 sometimes. He’s a killer!”