Ethan Nwaneri’s six-month loan spell at Olympique Marseille has come to a close, with the 19-year-old returning to parent club Arsenal after a stretch that fell well short of expectations.
The attacking midfielder, eligible to represent both England and Nigeria through his parentage, joined the Ligue 1 side in January in search of regular first-team football after struggling for minutes under Mikel Arteta. The move instead proved difficult: Nwaneri found himself frozen out for long stretches under Marseille boss Habib Beye, who took charge midway through the loan following Roberto De Zerbi’s exit, and managed only a handful of starts amid mostly substitute appearances. He finished his time at the club with two goals and an assist in 11 matches across competitions.
With no option to buy built into the loan agreement, Nwaneri was always set to head back to north London at the end of the campaign. What happens next remains unsettled, however. Arsenal had originally sent him out to gain experience rather than to prepare him for a sale, but reports in recent months suggest the club’s stance has softened given his lack of progress in France, with figures around the deal suggesting a fee in the region of £35-40 million if a suitor meets their valuation.
Chelsea have been the most consistently linked side, having previously tried to sign Nwaneri before his Marseille move, while Italian side Como have also been mentioned among the clubs monitoring his situation. Borussia Dortmund, Juventus and AC Milan have likewise been credited with interest at various points this year.
On the international front, Nwaneri remains a player Nigeria boss Eric Chelle is keen to bring into the Super Eagles setup, though the player is reportedly still leaning toward representing England at senior level. He has yet to make a senior international appearance for either nation.
