Ethan Nwaneri is set to join Marseille on loan, and it begs the question: Is this the right decision by Arsenal? For the player, there is little debate whatsoever; the youngster needs to play, and he currently is not with the Gunners.
Marseille will provide more game time; the loan agreement is understood to contain clauses to push Nwaneri more so in the team. Ligue 1 is one of the best in Europe and doesn’t lack the physical edge needed for a player looking to play more often in the Premier League.
At Arsenal, currently, Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Kai Havertz are all viable options for the central attacking midfield speciality that Nwaneri is attached to. The player clearly sees his long-term future with Arsenal, considering he signed a new deal last summer, despite football.london understanding the youngster was touch and go when it came to extending or leaving.
Mikel Arteta, speaking ahead of the clash with Inter Milan, was coy but clear in his view that the 18-year-old was not getting the minutes he needed at this point in his career.
“We certainly have to assess the situation,” he said. “Obviously, Ethan is not playing the minutes that he deserves and needs at his age.
“We're going to sit down this week and address the situation and give everybody's opinion. At the end, we'll make the decision that we believe is the best one for the player, because we have a massive talent there and we need to look after it.”
Havertz has only just returned from two major injuries, Odegaard has suffered three separate problems this campaign, Merino is not naturally an attacking midfielder in the sense of the Gunners’ setup, and Eze has struggled for regular form. With each option that remains there are drawbacks.
Arsenal remain in all four competitions and Nwaneri would almost certainly started in the upcoming matches against Kairat Almaty and Wigan Athletic. He could have played weekly for the under-21s in the time that the senior squad was a closed shop in the Premier League, with an expanded bench in the Champions League offering the chance to see him included.
Despite the incentives to play him, Marseille could yet still decide against the player if his start to life doesn’t work or in practice he proves to be not the best fit. Look at Harvey Elliot at Aston Villa and the nightmare he’s enduring.
Risks and football go hand in hand and this decision is certainly one of them. For the player and the club, only time will tell whether this one turns out to be mistake, or success.
