Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri has agreed to join Marseille on loan.
Roberto De Zerbi made the move to sign the 18-year-old until the end of the season, and the Gunners gave their green light.
It has been claimed that Mikel Arteta convinced Nwaneri to join Marseille in a private meeting, and both parties agreed that it was the right thing to do.
Steven Gerrard caught wind of the news, and the Liverpool legend has now had his say.
How many goals and assists do you think Ethan Nwaneri will end the season with under Roberto De Zerbi at Marseille?
Drop your predictions below👀
Steven Gerrard makes Ethan Nwaneri prediction after Arsenal to Marseille loan move
Ethan Nwaneri is one of the most talented young players on the planet.
The Arsenal academy graduate has showcased his skills at the highest level already, but under Arteta right now, he is nowhere near the top of the pecking order.
That’s not because Nwaneri is doing something wrong; it’s just that Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze are ahead of him.
That is why a loan move is the best option for him, and Gerrard, who knows a thing or two about being an elite midfielder, is convinced that De Zerbi will make Nwaneri a much better player.
He said on TNT Sports: “I love it, I love it. I think if this works that everyone can be a winner from it.
“I think Mikel Arteta has been extremely clever here because he’s sending him to De Zerbi as well, who has got a track record for improving players, and he will give him the time and education and development, and he’ll get more game time playing for Marseille.
“If he samples the league, samples the experiences like tonight (facing Liverpool in the Champions League), it’s not going to do him any harm. He’s a top talent, and now he’s got to go and get experience. This will be great for him for the future.”
Gerrard concluded by saying: “Without a doubt, De Zerbi will make him a better player.”
If Arsenal received a £70m bid for Ethan Nwaneri in the summer, would you sell him?
Andrea Berta adds genius clause in Ethan Nwaneri’s loan deal
The whole point of sending Nwaneri out on loan is that he gets regular minutes.
De Zerbi and Marseille seem to have promised that to Arsenal, and they will have to keep their word. If they don’t, it will cost them.
That’s thanks to a clause Andrea Berta has inserted in the agreement.
The payment structure of Nwaneri’s loan deal is dependent on how much game time he gets. If he plays a lot, the deal will be cheaper. If he doesn’t, Marseille will have to pay a penalty.
That is a really clever way to almost guarantee that Nwaneri will get the minutes he needs, and like Gerrard, we too think that he will develop massively under De Zerbi.
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