Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal prodigy, likely to join Marseille on loan | OneFootball

Ethan Nwaneri, 18, is likely to join Marseille on loan after a season in which fierce competition at Arsenal has checked his momentum.

Born three kilometres from the Emirates, he saw his first game aged four and joined the pre-academy a year later. Fast-tracked through age groups, he drew praise, with former England Under-16s coach Dan Micciche telling Sky Sports in 2024 he ranks him with Jadon Sancho, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden.

A week after Mikel Arteta’s arrival in December 2019, staff flagged the gifted left-footer, capable as a No 10 and across the front line. On 18 September 2022 he came on in stoppage time at Brentford, a 3-0 win, becoming the Premier League’s youngest player at 15 years and 181 days.

He signed a five-year deal last summer and has 51 senior appearances, 10 goals and 2 assists, including a curled left-foot finish against Manchester City to complete a 5-1 league win on 2 February 2025. In recent months he has been limited to 12 outings off the bench, like friend Myles Lewis-Skelly.

He has been blocked by Martin Ödegaard and Eberechi Eze centrally, and by Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke on the right. Arteta has accepted a loan to Marseille in the hope he gains minutes under Roberto De Zerbi and sharpens his weaker right foot and off-ball work. In England few doubt his long-term future is at Arsenal, after a season when youth development was deliberately secondary to chasing a first title since 2004.

Source: L'Équipe