Ethan Nwaneri was a topic of discussion at Arsenal on deadline day as the Gunners scrambled to find a midfielder.
Mikel Merino’s injury shook the Arsenal squad, so much so that Mikel Arteta admitted he wanted a replacement on deadline day.
Sandro Tonali was linked with a move, and later in the day, Leon Goretzka became a person of interest, but neither deal materialised.
Some fans were wondering whether Nwaneri could be recalled from his loan at Marseille, but the answer is no, so the Arsenal academy graduate remains in France for the remainder of the season.
Fill in the blank: I am now feeling _______________ about Nwaneri’s loan move to Marseille…
Ethan Nwaneri opens up about Marseille loan
Nwaneri has started well at Marseille; scoring on his debut was a dream start to life away from Arsenal for the first time.
Since then, things haven’t been so bright for the 18-year-old and his new club, as Marseille’s form has been testing.
Tensions rose as Marseille were brutally knocked out of the Champions League, meaning that Nwaneri would not experience European football for the rest of the season.
Speaking in a press conference for the first time since his loan move, the teenager admitted that the Champions League exit was tough to take.
“The whole team was very disappointed. We wanted to progress in the Champions League; it was a very frustrating defeat, but we don’t have time to dwell on it,” Nwaneri said.
“We have to get back to fighting. Many players want to do well for the fans, for the club, so what’s happening is obviously frustrating. It was a difficult day, and we bounced back immediately. It’s important that the fans support us.”
With a crucial clash against Paris Saint-Germain coming next for Nwaneri in Ligue 1, the world will be watching how he turns his frustration into fuel.
Nwaneri was coy about his Arsenal future
The good news for Arsenal is that, no matter how much of an impact Nwaneri has at Marseille, he’ll be a Gunner again by the summer.
If Arsenal received a £70m bid for Ethan Nwaneri in the summer, would you sell him?
There is no buy-option in Nwaneri’s loan contract at Marseille, but when asked about his future, the teen was rather coy.
“Anything is possible in football. We’ll see what happens,” Nwaneri said.
“We’ll see if there’s any contact. I can’t tell you what will happen. We’ll see when it happens.”
Arsenal have been so clear that Nwaneri is not for sale, and that his loan is to simply give him the game time that he needs.
For now, those in N5 will enjoy watching the superb talent get the exposure he deserves, while Marseille will merely enjoy it while it lasts.
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