Ethan Nwaneri and Arsenal over an awkward conversation

Arsenal have a big one talent at Ethan Nwaneri. He is a young player who has made history. But now his loan with Marseille is causing problems. The club needs to talk about what to do next. This conversation can be tough. Let’s see why.

Nwaneri’s rise to fame

Ethan Nwaneri is special. In September 2022 he played for Arsenal against Brentford. He was only 15 years and 181 days old. This made him the youngest ever player in the Premier League. The fans were enthusiastic. Manager Mikel Arteta received some criticism for playing him so young. But it worked. Ethan Nwaneri signed a new five-year contract last summer. He showed promise last season. He came in on the right wing for Bukayo Saka.

Limited time on the field this season

Things have changed this year. Mikel Arteta now sees Nwaneri as a central player. But new signings like Eberechi Eze pushed him down the list. He is behind Eze and captain Martin Ødegaard. Nwaneri only played 515 minutes. Most were in cup games against teams like Port Vale and Brighton. Moreover, he needed more playing time to grow.

The move to Marseille

In January, Arsenal sent Nwaneri on loan to Marseille in France. They chose this club over others, such as Bournemouth. Why? Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi has a fast, attacking style. It suits Nwaneri’s skillset. Arteta even spoke to De Zerbi about it privately. At first it looked good. Nwaneri started four games. He scored a goal in just 13 minutes in his first Ligue 1 match against Lens. He created chances and passed well. Marseille are fourth in the league and in the quarter-finals of the cup.

Signs of trouble

But soon the problems started. In a big match against PSG, Marseille lost 5-0. Nwaneri was subbed off at half-time. In the next match it happened again. De Zerbi said he wanted to protect the young player. Teammates didn’t help him much. The French media was harsh. One called his play ‘disastrous’ and gave him a rating of 1/10. They said it was invisible and had no impact. His teammates seemed confused.

The shocking departure of De Zerbi

Then came the big shock. The Zerbi left Marseille by mutual agreement. This happened after bad results, such as losing to PSG and exiting the Champions League. Tensions were high. The club wished him well, but it came suddenly. The Zerbi was an important reason for the loan. Now there is a new coach. Will they play Nwaneri the same way? It’s unclear.

The difficult situation for Arsenal

This puts Arsenal in a difficult position. They cannot easily remember Nwaneri. There is no clause for this in the loan agreement. Even with injuries like Mikel Merino’s, he has to stay. The loan was intended for steady growth. Now, with the changes in Marseille, this may not happen. Arsenal need to discuss whether this is still best for him. It’s difficult because they chose this path. Fans and pundits are watching.

Ultimately, Ethan Nwaneri is still young at eighteen. He has time to come back. But Arsenal must handle this carefully. His future could be bright, but right now it’s a bit cloudy. The club hopes that the new Marseille boss will continue to have confidence in him. If not, more conversations will be needed when he returns.

Arsenal now face an incredibly difficult conversation over the future of Ethan Nwaneri following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi from Marseille. The move, intended for regular playing time, has become problematic due to benchings and bad reviews. With no recall clause, Arsenal must carefully assess whether this setup still benefits the 18-year-old prospect.