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Ethan Nwaneri could be set for a move to Marseille on loan for the remainder of the 2025/26 season, with the youngster struggling for minutes this campaign and on the radar of several teams.
With the January transfer window now into its third week, Arsenal are looking at the possibility of completing another outgoing before the market slams shut. Arsenal and Marseille are in discussions over a loan deal for Ethan Nwaneri, football.london understands, which could see the Hale End academy graduate make his way to Ligue 1.
The deal does not include a permanent option, but there is a sizeable loan fee agreed surrounding the move that the club would benefit from. It comes as Nwaneri looks to gain more minutes and experience, after struggling to break back into the first-team this season.
The 18-year-old enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last time out, with injuries running rampage around the whole squad. While the youngster signed a new contract in the summer, the arrival of others in his position such as Noni Madueke on the right flank and Eberechi Eze in the number ten run, has made opportunities tough to come by.
That possible impending loan move should help to fix the lack of minutes for Nwaneri, handing him a chance to gain some valuable experience. It may open up Arsenal to some vulnerabilities if there are injury troubles, however, giving some concerns over the deal and whether it is sensible.
So, with that said, football.london's writers have given their thoughts on the situation and whether it's the right call from the club to make such a move.
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Jake Stokes
Ethan Nwaneri should go out on loan this month. I'm surprised that the 18-year-old midfielder didn't push for such a move in the summer when Arsenal forked out over £100m for Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke: two players in two positions that he could've covered.
When Nwaneri signed that new long-term contract in August, I expected Mikel Arteta to give him a greater role in the squad. A bit more responsibility. But that's not been the case. He's only played about 500 minutes so far this season, with just under half of which coming in domestic cup competitions.
Arteta didn't have to make him an undisputed starter as such, just provide some more meaningful minutes in the Premier League. He's not even started a single game in the English top flight this term!
Nwaneri is young and he needs protecting. But he also needs to play! He needs to make mistakes at the highest level and learn from them. He won't fulfil his potential if he's watching on from the sidelines...
Ryan Taylor
A loan for Ethan Nwaneri is definitely smart from Arsenal - even if they might need him between now and the end of the season.
The Marseille loan also makes great sense because it can't just be any loan. For instance, West Ham called recently and the idea of thrusting the attacking midfielder into a relegation scrap didn't appear overly appealing.
Marseille play front-foot attacking football and providing Marseille qualify for the knockout stages, they can also register the 18-year-old to play in the Champions League.
He needs minutes and honestly, I struggle to see it working out for him long-term at the Emirates because he'd need to dethrone the captain Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze.
I think Nwaneri is going to be a top player and ultimately, there isn't a huge rush to embed him into the team but it's clear he cannot be sat on the bench.
Luke Thrower
Football careers are very rarely a linear line of progress that will see a player move from strength to strength to be one of the best in the world, and for Ethan Nwaneri, this period is the first real bump in the road he will have experienced in his time in senior football. The 18-year-old's introduction last season was exactly what Arsenal needed for the period that they were facing.
Now, however, what the Gunners need is that killer instinct across all competitions to finally get them over the line. That has been reflected in the types of players the club have been signing; those entering their peak years with something to prove.
That may be somewhat at odds with what Nwaneri needs, which is game time and room to make errors while still being in a pressurised environment. As a result, a loan move to Marseille makes sense for the youngster.
There is pressure and expectation at the Ligue 1 outfit, but the distribution of quality across the league is slightly more sparse, which could allow for him to shine. On top of that, France is known as a league that is physical, somewhat akin to the Premier League, which may give him chance to get used to that week in, week out.
Roberto De Zerbi plays some quick and exciting football, which may play into the hands of Nwaneri, while he clearly needs to continue gaining experience. William Saliba is the perfect example of this type of move going well for a youngster at Arsenal, which may only spell good news for the Hale End academy star.
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