Arsenal outcast Ethan Nwaneri is set to secure a loan move to Ligue 1 giants Marseille, reports The Athletic.
Nwaneri put pen to paper on a new deal with the Gunners last year as reward for his fine form following a breakout campaign.
The teenager made 26 league appearances for the Premier League leaders last season, 11 of which were starts.
Nwaneri struggling for minutes
However, Nwaneri has struggled for game time this season, registering just 166 minutes of action across six sub outings.
In total, Nwaneri has started just four matches in all competitions this season, the most recent of which came in the 4-1 FA Cup third round win over Portsmouth earlier this month.
Arsenal invested heavily in the squad over the summer, bringing in the likes of Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, which has limited first-team opportunities.
Marseille beat off competition for teenager
As such, a January move was always on the cards as the 18-year-old sought to build upon a bright 2024-25 campaign.
And while Nwaneri has attracted interest from a number of Premier League sides and elsewhere in Europe, the player looks set for a loan move to Marseille.
The deal will include a loan fee and won’t include an option to buy, meaning Nwaneri will return to Arsenal over the summer.
French side eight points off the pace
Marseille are enduring a mixed campaign under Roberto De Zerbi, who is 18 months into his reign at the Velodrome.
L’OM sit third in Ligue 1, but are eight points behind surprise league leaders Lens and seven off rivals and defending champions PSG.
De Zerbi has overseen just two wins in Marseille’s last five league matches, a run that includes defeats to Lille and Nantes.
Marseille have a great chance to close the gap at the top of the table when they face Lens on home turf on Saturday.
