Mikel Arteta was adamant about Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri joining Olympique Marseille over other clubs on loan.
The teenager struggled for minutes at the Emirates Stadium this term, and a move away until the end of the season was viewed as the best option for all parties.
The Sun revealed that six Premier League clubs and three teams each from Italy and Germany were keen to sign him on loan, but Arteta convinced Nwaneri to join Marseille because of Roberto De Zerbi.
Now, that decision could backfire, and we think the Arsenal manager will be fuming.
Give us your three-word verdict on Ethan Nwaneri’s performance on his Marseille debut!
Mikel Arteta will be furious as Marseille could sack Roberto De Zerbi after signing Ethan Nwaneri
Ethan Nwaneri starred for Marseille on his debut by scoring inside 13 minutes.
The Olympians won that game 3-1 against Lens, who, according to the Ligue 1 table, are the second-best team in France at the moment.
It was a joyous day for Marseille fans, but it all came crashing down on Wednesday night after Jose Mourinho’s Benfica pipped Nwaneri’s side to the knockout stages of the Champions League.
It’s a shame that the Arsenal youngster will not get to play in Europe’s elite club competition, but there’s something worse that could happen to him now.
French journalist Fabrice Hwakins has just revealed on X that De Zerbi’s job at Marseille is in ‘danger’ and talks are underway to determine whether he will be sacked.
Mikel Arteta must be absolutely fuming because the biggest reason why he sent Nwaneri to the Stade Velodrome was so that he could learn from the Italian.
Even Marseille president Pablo Longoria confirmed that Arsenal wanted Nwaneri to work with De Zerbi in an interview after his loan move was announced.
It’s still unclear what will happen, but if De Zerbi is shown the door, the whole point of the teenager’s loan deal could prove meaningless, as he will have to play under a different manager.
Should Arsenal recall Ethan Nwaneri from his loan if Robert De Zerbi is sacked by Marseille?
Ethan Nwaneri will be gutted too if Roberto De Zerbi is sacked
Nwaneri received instant backing from De Zerbi after he joined Marseille on loan.
The teenager was given a start against Lens after just one training session with his new club. De Zerbi claimed that Nwaneri was so strong that he didn’t need any time to adapt.
It’s very rare to see a manager put that much faith in a youngster who is only at the club on loan without the possibility of a permanent deal.
De Zerbi’s high-pressing system would’ve suited Nwaneri perfectly. It certainly would’ve aided his development and made him a better player.
Now, if he’s sacked, the Arsenal loanee could be the player who is affected the most.
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