Arsenal fans have been watching on with interest as to how Ethan Nwaneri gets on over in Marseille but it feels like the loan spell is not going the way anyone wanted.
Roberto De Zerbi’s departure was not ideal and his replacement, Habib Beye, has been less than impressed with what he’s seen from Nwaneri so far.
Nwaneri was sent specifically to work with De Zerbi and Marseille but has appeared just nine times, scoring twice.
Indeed, after failing to come off the bench this weekend against Nice, Beye has admitted he needs more from the Gunners teenager.
Ethan Nwaneri told he needs to do a lot more at Marseille
Everyone at Arsenal wanted to see Nwaneri do well but it feels like this loan spell is going to be one that’s ended up being wasted.
Nwaneri has looked lost at times and after not playing at all this weekend, he wasn’t given any slack from his manager either.
“He’s a quality player, but he has to give us way more in his day-to-day commitment. Other players give way more,” Beye said.
“Ethan has great qualities, he’s a great talent who needs to adapt to the intensity of Ligue 1. We saw that when he came on against Lille, he scored, but when we analyze his performance overall, there are still aspects of his game that need to be much stronger in terms of counter-pressing and his defensive efforts to win the ball back.
“He seems like the ideal replacement in Mason [Greenwood]’s absence, but we also have the opportunity to change our system and our playmaking, so we have several choices with quality players.
“Ethan is a young player who needs to understand. Arriving at Marseille, he comes from the Premier League, from a big team in the Premier League, but he also arrives in Ligue 1 at a very, very high-level club, and inevitably, the adaptation takes a little time.
“What’s very good is that he scored for the national team. Sometimes with the national team, you get playing time, and that’s very positive for us.”
Ethan Nwaneri faces a big summer at Arsenal
Not every loan spell is going to work out and ultimately, Nwaneri will just have to accept that this is a minor stumbling block and learning experience for him.
It doesn’t mean that his career needs to come to a standstill or anything like that. In fact, that’s far from the truth.
Tell us we’re wrong…Robin van Persie is only behind Thierry Henry as Arsenal’s best ever Premier League striker
This summer, though, Arsenal and Nwaneri need to make the right call. Whether that be he goes out on loan and finds his feet either in England or abroad again, or whether he integrates back into the Arsenal team.
Nwaneri has to get it right this summer and he can’t really afford another wasted loan spell at this stage.
Clearly, there is a super talent there with Nwaneri but in terms of career progression, it’s important he’s in the right place going into the 26/27 season.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
