Arsenal: Mikel Arteta 'being extremely clever' as Ethan Nwaneri closes in on Marseille transfer

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·22 January 2026

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta 'being extremely clever' as Ethan Nwaneri closes in on Marseille transfer

Arsenal youngster’s move to Marseille is expected to be announced shortly

Mikel Arteta has been praised for allowing Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri to spend the rest of the season on loan at Marseille

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Steven Gerrard claims Mikel Arteta is “being extremely clever” by sending Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Marseille.

The Gunners have been in talks with Marseille over a loan move for Nwaneri until the end of the season, performing a transfer u-turn in the process having initially planned to keep the attacking midfielder.

“Roberto De Zerbi is one of the best coaches in the world, he’s demanding,” Nwaneri said. “I’m ready to play under him and listen to what he wants for the team.”

Nwaneri was an unused substitute as Arsenal beat Inter Milan 3-1 at the San Siro on Tuesday night and has not started a match in the Premier League this season.

The loan move to Marseille is, ultimately, designed to aid his development and Gerrard believes the experience in France, working with De Zerbi will make the teenager a better player.

"I love seeing it [young players moving abroad]," Gerrard said on TNT Sports. "If this works, everyone can be a winner from it, and I think Mikel Arteta is being extremely clever here as he's sending him to De Zerbi, who has a track record for improving players.

"He'll be given more game time, and he'll get the development playing for Marseille. If he can sample experiences like tonight, it will do wonders for his development.

“He's a top talent, and now he's got to go and get experience.

Ethan Nwaneri is set to join Marseille on loan

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"This will be great for him, hopefully in the future. From a selfish point of view, Mikel [Arteta] may have wanted to have kept him around the squad as they're going for a quadruple so they'll need as many bodies around them as possible, but there's got to be a part of you that thinks about the player and where he's going to be in the next four years.

"The experience he gets from this will make him a better player. Without a doubt, De Zerbi will make him a better player. As a coach, he is box office."