Roberto De Zerbi believes that Ethan Nwaneri arrived from Arsenal ready to be thrown straight into action for Marseille.
The 18-year-old made the perfect start to his loan spell in Ligue 1, scoring on his debut just days after completing his move to Marseille.
Give us your three-word verdict on Ethan Nwaneri’s performance on his Marseille debut!
The French media hailed Nwaneri’s debut, with one publication even naming him the Man of the Match against RC Lens.
The teenager has been quick to impress at the Stade Velodrome, and De Zerbi has been speaking very highly of him after his debut.
Roberto De Zerbi on picking Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri vs Lens
Roberto De Zerbi has made it clear that there are no guaranteed starters in his team and that Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri was a worthy starter against Lens.
One key concern about Nwaneri’s Marseille loan was that he faced competition from Mason Greenwood for the right-wing spot.
The former England international has been one of Marseille’s top performers this season, producing 20 goals and six assists in 28 appearances.
However, Nwaneri was the chosen starter against Lens, and he repaid his manager’s faith by netting after just 13 minutes.
After the game, De Zerbi told L’Equipe: “In my team, there is no hierarchy. The only one who decides is me. Having to play every three days forces me to rotate.”
Fill in the blank: I am now feeling _______________ about Nwaneri’s loan move to Marseille…
The former Brighton boss also praised Nwaneri’s impressive condition and was adamant that he is ready to make an immediate impact.
“Timber and Nwaneri are so strong that they don’t need training. We’ll have to recharge our batteries on Wednesday because it will be a historic match for Marseille,” he added.
De Zerbi passionately celebrated Nwaneri’s goal as his newest addition quickly demonstrated the impact he can have on the team.
Mikel Arteta will be delighted by his loanee’s start to life at Marseille, and the North London club will feel vindicated by their decision to send him there.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg thinks Ethan Nwaneri is a great signing
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is really excited about Nwaneri and believes that the Arsenal attacker is a great signing for Marseille.
The former Spurs star told the media: “What’s great is that the club has a way of working, a way of recruiting players, a way of putting a framework in place.
“I also believe that for this reason, the players they bring in for the team are those who can integrate very quickly.
“We saw that today (Saturday); it was natural for Quinten Timber, and for Ethan Nwaneri too, who had a good game. It helps the team, and the team helps them.”
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