Olympique de Marseille in talks to sign Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan

French club Olympique de Marseille is in discussions to bring in Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri on loan until the end of the season. Among the details being negotiated is the loan fee.

Previously, BBC Sport reported that Nwaneri was not expected to go out on loan this season, as both the club and the player believed it would be more beneficial for the 18-year-old to remain with a title-challenging squad. However, the opportunity to play regularly in a different league and country has proven appealing to him.

The England U21 international has featured in just 12 matches for Arsenal across all competitions this season, starting four of them but none in the Premier League, and has scored once in the Carabao Cup.

Nwaneri signed a new contract in the summer extending until 2030, but his path to the first team has become more challenging following the arrivals of Noni Madueke for £48.5 million and Eberechi Eze for £67 million.

Nwaneri’s experience with regular playing time last season has raised his expectations. While he knew competing for a spot at a club like Arsenal would be challenging, having two England internationals ahead of him has limited his opportunities. Even Eze has struggled to secure a place in the starting XI recently, playing just 23 minutes across the last six Premier League games and remaining an unused substitute in four of them.

Last season, Nwaneri primarily played on the right wing, scoring 9 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions, establishing himself as one of England’s most promising young talents. However, with Madueke as the first-choice backup to Bukayo Saka and Eze occupying the attacking midfield role to compete with captain Martin Ødegaard, the positions where Nwaneri could fit have become much harder to claim.

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