Arteta believes Nwaneri loan still positive despite bad week | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta insists Ethan Nwaneri’s loan to Marseille will remain positive despite Roberto De Zerbi’s departure, but the early signs aren’t good.

Photo via Nwaneri on Instagram

Roberto De Zerbi left Marseille earlier this week following a heavy defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, sparking concerns about Ethan Nwaneri and his loan spell to the Ligue 1 club.

De Zerbi had been cited as one of the key factors behind Nwaneri’s move to Marseille, and he’d consistently picked the Arsenal loanee in their early matches together.

Speaking about De Zerbi’s Marseille exit on Friday, Mikel Arteta admitted it was out of his control, but added that he thinks the loan will remain a positive experience for Nwaneri.

Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images

“It’s something I can’t control,” Arteta said. “Once again, it’s a decision that’s part of the game when you’re on loan, and it’s part of a football player’s career.

“So you have to work with different coaches, and it can happen at any time. You can’t control it, you can’t avoid it.

“Yes, De Zerbi was one of the reasons for the loan to OM. But it was also Marseille, and what Marseille, as a club and environment, brings to Ethan. I think it will remain very positive.”

Photo via Nwaneri on Instagram

Unfortunately, the early signs haven’t been so positive. Nwaneri had started all four of Marseille’s first four domestic fixtures before De Zerbi’s exit, but he was an unused substitute against Strasbourg on Saturday.

One potential positive is that Marseille didn’t win the match, drawing 2-2 after a late comeback by the away side. But that was more about Marseille’s defensive issues than an attacking problem Nwaneri could solve.

Nwaneri also should have been shown a red card in Marseille’s game against Stade Rennais last week, so from that lucky escape to the 5-0 defeat to PSG, the De Zerbi exit, and now his role as an unused sub, it’s been a bad week or so.

Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Arsenal did at least plan for the eventuality that Nwaneri doesn’t play much on loan, including a clause in the player’s loan deal that will earn them more money the less he features.

The guaranteed fee is €1.5m, but it could rise to €4m if Nwaneri isn’t involved regularly. Even so, the Gunners would surely prefer to receive just the initial €1.5m and have Nwaneri on the pitch more often.