In a rapid turn of events, Ethan Nwaneri has bid farewell to Arsenal for the remainder of the season to sign for Marseille.
The move is a good one for the Arsenal academy graduate, who needs to be playing more than he was under Mikel Arteta.
Arteta has a strong relationship with Nwaneri and was eager to sanction his move to Marseille to work with former Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi.
The attacking midfielder has until the conclusion of the 2025/26 calendar to make his presence in France known, as Arsenal made it very clear that Nwaneri will return to the Emirates, with a permanent move not an option.
Fill in the blank: Mikel Arteta’s decision to loan Ethan Nwaneri to Marseille is _________
Marseille hint what position Ethan Nwaneri will play
Marseille fans are so happy that Nwaneri signed, with the teenager winning his new supporters over by revealing that William Saliba told him to join the club.
Saliba himself spent time at Marseille on loan, a period that shaped his career to see him return to Arsenal and become a key player.
The hope is that the same happens to Nwaneri, but he might return with a different outlook, as he won’t be playing in his favoured attacking midfield position.
Medhi Benatia, Marseille’s sporting director, was just speaking to French outlet Canal+, where he suggested that Nwaneri will be regarded as cover for Mason Greenwood on the right wing.
“Nwaneri? He was the only position where we weren’t covered by Mason,” Benatia said when explaining how the decision to sign the Arsenal star was made.
It doesn’t mean that Nwaneri will be considered only as a right winger, but in De Zerbi’s most used 3-4-3 formation at Marseille, it’s the role that makes the most sense.
Nwaneri is destined to thrive at Marseille
It’ll essentially be more of the same for Nwaneri, who became familiar with the right wing during his breakthrough season last term.
How many goals and assists do you think Ethan Nwaneri will end the season with under Roberto De Zerbi at Marseille?
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Arteta utilised the Hale Ender on the right to cover for Bukayo Saka, and Nwaneri proved he could thrive in that area.
Now at Marseille, he could reach another level, as De Zerbi’s attack is more fluid in terms of what roles his forwards play, with Greenwood, as an example, playing in central zones too.
On paper, De Zerbi and Nwaneri fit like a glove, which is only good news for Arsenal, who could welcome back an entirely different player in the summer.
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