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Ethan Nwaneri’s season hasn’t quite panned out how he’d hoped. The teenager put pen to paper on a new Arsenal deal last summer. After an impressive breakout campaign, where he made 26 league appearances, 11 of which were from the outset, the midfielder was duly rewarded for his excellent form.
However, Nwaneri found playing time hard to come by. With the Gunners in title contention after a hefty summer splurge, bringing in the likes of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, head coach Mikel Arteta has favoured the more experienced options over the Englishman. The pair operate in the same position as Nwaneri.
Nwaneri's early season struggles
As such, the 19-year-old managed just six league appearances in the first half of the season, all of which were off the bench. Indeed, he registered more minutes in the EFL Cup (180) than he did the Premier League (166). A loan move in January, then, was to be expected. And while Nwaneri had interest from England, he opted to instead make the move to Marseille.
The French side, then under the watchful eye of Roberto De Zerbi, secured Nwaneri’s services on January 23rd. The next day he started, and scored in, the 3-1 home win over title chasing Lens. Everything, finally, seemed to be going in Nwaneri’s favour.
Disaster, though, struck in early February. De Zerbi was relieved of his Marseille duties following a disappointing 5-0 loss to rivals PSG. The timing couldn’t have been worse. One of the main reasons Nwaneri was sent to the Velodrome was to work under the Italian. De Zerbi was convinced that the youngster would shine on the other side of the channel. Now, Nwaneri had to prove his worth all over again.
De Zerbi exit dented teenager's chances
In came ‘Monday, Tuesday’ Habib Beye. And Nwaneri’s situation hasn’t improved. The on-loan star hasn’t started a league match since De Zerbi’s February exit. He’s shown glimpses of his talent, providing an assist off the bench in the 3-1 win over Lyon and netting in the eventual 2-1 defeat to Lille, though he was subbed on and off again in the latter.
On the whole, though, Nwaneri’s switch to the south of France has been sub-par to say the least. While he is completing 1.3 successful dribbles per 90 in France’s top tier, Nwaneri is attempting 4.6 per 90. A 28.6% success rate is poor. It’s among the worst of the 247 players to have attempted at least 10 dribbles in the 2025-26 Ligue 1 campaign.
What’s more, Nwaneri is being dispossessed 2.9 times per 90. Only Osame Sahraoui (3) is being done so more of those to have registered at least 250 minutes of action. Nwaneri is struggling to get the better of a marker, and this is impacting his standing within the Marseille squad.
Conversely, a lack of regular football means he is unable to build consistency that would improve his all-round game. Marseille evidently have a talented player on the books. It’s that Beye perhaps sees Nwaneri as an impact player rather than a regular starter. Beye favours a 4-2-3-1 setup, with Igor Paixao and Mason Greenwood on the left and right flank, respectively.
January arrival Quinten Timber players in the number 10 role. There just isn’t space in the starting XI for Nwaneri. It is tough for the on-loan attacker, whose 1.6 key passes per 90 ranks second of current Marseille players. The flashes of talent, however, have been few and far between.
Inconsistency has resulted in a number of anonymous showings, with Nwaneri struggling to impose himself on games in the way Beye would like. And with De Zerbi’s successor already set on his favoured XI, Nwaneri is unlikely to force his way into this Marseille side any time soon.
Nwaneri's wasted season
It’s been a miserable season for Nwaneri, whose playing time has been limited. The player himself really caught the eye for the Gunners across the 2024-25 campaign, and thoroughly deserved his new Emirates contract. The August announcement seems a long time ago now.
“You have to be thrown there, into the sharks in an incredible football culture and atmosphere and club and it's going to make him so good,” Arteta said in January when Nwaneri’s loan move to Marseille was confirmed. It was a temporary switch that should have really been the making of Nwaneri.
In hindsight, though, it’s been a wasted opportunity. It’s through no fault of his own - few could have foreseen De Zerbi departing Marseille two weeks after his arrival - but Nwaneri will be counting down the days until what’s been a squandered campaign draws to a close.
