Welcome to Marseille, Ethan Nwaneri! Arsenal star scores on debut after making short-term switch to France

Nwaneri enjoyed a breakthrough season at Arsenal in 2024-25, with the teenager scoring nine goals and adding two assists in 39 games in all competitions. This term, however, he has been limited to just 12 matches, as Arteta frequently picked some of his more experienced Gunners team-mates. Amid the calls to give the England Under-21 international more game time, Arteta called for patience. 

He said: "He’s 18 years old [and has] 50 appearances for the club. I want to see how many examples there are in English football with that number at that age. That’s a reality, that’s not if, if, if, that’s a reality. So if somebody were to tell him, any of us, two years ago, that number with the squad that we have, probably we would go, it doesn’t sound very realistic."

Then, on Friday, Nwaneri, whose contract at the Emirates runs until 2030, completed a loan move to Marseille for the second half of the campaign.

An Arsenal statement read: "Ethan Nwaneri has joined Olympique Marseille on loan until the end of the season. Our hugely talented 18-year-old has made 12 appearances in all competitions this season and will now get more valuable game time with the Ligue 1 side.

"We wish Ethan all the best for his time with Marseille and look forward to seeing him develop his talent in one of the best leagues in Europe."

Before his Marseille switch was finalised, Nwaneri revealed that Arsenal team-mate William Saliba played a big role in convincing him to head to Marseille. The centre-back spent 18 months at the south coast team and spoke very highly of the place.

Nwaneri said, "William Saliba told me OM is one of the best clubs in the world. Roberto De Zerbi is one of the best coaches in the world, he’s demanding. I’m ready to play under him and listen to what he wants for the team."

De Zerbi himself stated Nwaneri would get game time at Marseille and sure enough, the youngster started in their Ligue 1 clash with second-placed Lens. Third-placed Marseille bounced back from their 3-0 loss to Liverpool in the Champions League with a 3-1 win on Saturday, with Nwaneri scoring a first-half goal in between Amine Gouiri's brace. Rayan Fofana pulled a goal back late on for the visitors but the three points went the way of Marseille on a night to saviour for Nwaneri.

Despite Nwaneri just joining Marseille on a short-term deal, former Brighton boss De Zerbi suggested that if you are good enough to play, you will play straight away. 

He told reporters: "In my team, there is no hierarchy because the only one who decides is me. As long as I'm here, it's either me who decides or Roberto. There are no problems with people. [Mason] Greenwood needed a rest, he told me. Nwaneri and [Quinten] Timber are very strong players, they don't need to train much. They will not play on Wednesday because they are not qualified. Kondogbia and Nadir, who was feverish, will return. It will be a historic match for OM, like the Trophee des Champions in Kuwait. We need energy to prepare well for the match and give our maximum."

De Zerbi added that Nwaneri scored a "beautiful" goal for Marseille.

The result saw Marseille close to within five points of second-placed Lens and seven adrift of league leaders Paris Saint-Germain. Next up for OM is a trip to Club Brugge in the Champions League on Wednesday, for which Nwaneri is ineligible, before rounding off the month at Paris FC next Saturday.