Ethan Nwaneri trains for first time after Arsenal exit ahead of possible Marseille debut

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Evening Standard

·23 January 2026

Ethan Nwaneri trains for first time after Arsenal exit ahead of possible Marseille debut

Arsenal youngster immediately put through his paces after completing loan move

Ethan Nwaneri took part in Marseille training on Friday for the first time after sealing his loan move from Arsenal.

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Nwaneri, who could make his Marseille debut on Saturday, will spend the remainder of the season with the Ligue 1 outfit after it was decided he needs more first-team football.

Speaking about the decision to send the youngster out on loan, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said: “When they talk about the opportunity and the clubs that are interested in you, the first thing is excitement.

"You are willing to play, you speak to the manager, he's very keen on you and you're going to play at the weekend and you're going to start a lot of games and this is all very good.

"But one day you have to go ‘okay, pack your bags, this is the flight tickets and you have to go to Marseille.’ Whoa, whoa, whoa.

"And that is fear, is insecurity, is getting out of a place that has been really comfortable for him around his family but then this is the thing at the end.

"You have to be thrown there, into the sharks in an incredible football culture and atmosphere and club and it's going to make him so good."

The 18-year-old trained with his new team-mates such as Angel Gomes, Quinten Timber - brother of Jurrien - and former Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the first time on Friday.

Nwaneri will hope to make his Marseille bow on Saturday at home to Lens as Roberto De Zerbi’s side bid to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat against Liverpool in the Champions League.