Arteta has a big decision to makeplaceholder image
Arteta has a big decision to make | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal could now allow one of their brightest young talents to leave the club.
Arsenal are now being tipped to allow one of their key talents to leave the club amid increased competition this season. The Gunners are looking well-positioned for the Premier League title after another positive weekend for Mikel Arteta’s men.
The Gunners are now seven points clear of Manchester City and still looking as if they have the stronger of the two squads, albeit City have bolstered their ranks significantly this month, signing Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi.
Arsenal spend more than £200million on new players in the summer, adding serious depth to their squad, and that recruitment drive included a new attacking midfielder in Eberechi Eze and a new winger in Noni Madueke.
Both signings were welcome additions for the Gunners, and adding the latter has been the kick in the back-side the likes of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli needed, with the pair often struggling amid limited competition last term.
But the competition has not suited everyone, and it hasn’t been such a positive for young players like Ethan Nwaneri, a player who suddenly finds himself down the pecking order and with not much chance of surging up the order between now and the end of the season.
The 18-year-old is clearly a big part of Arsenal’s future, penning a new long-term deal this season, but his age and limited experience means he is naturally going to struggle to displace the players ahead of him in Arteta’s plans.
Nwaneri could depart
With Nwaneri struggling for game time, it seems a loan move could be on the cards for the youngster. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, French giants Olympique Marseille are working on a loan deal for Nwaneri to offer him game time for the rest of the season.
The report claims nothing is agreed at this point and that any loan fee is likely to be adaptive and dependent on appearances. It’s also clarified that there will be no option to buy, which will come as no surprise given how highly Arsenal rate Nwaneri.
Speaking about Nwaneri after a game last year, Arteta said: "That's what we love about him - he's very aggressive. Before that [goal], he had another action where he made the right choice, he went for it. He never [looks nervous], he's so composed, calm and confident in his ability. At 17, scoring a really important goal in the Champions League is not very common."
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