Arsenal attacking midfielder Ethan Nwaneri arrived in Marseille on Wednesday afternoon ahead of sealing his season-long loan switch
Ryan Taylor
09:56, 22 Jan 2026
Ethan Nwaneri
View 2 Images
Ethan Nwaneri will return to Arsenal from his Marseille loan at the end of the season(Image: )
Roberto De Zerbi has declared there is a chance Ethan Nwaneri will be thrown straight in for Marseille's crunch Ligue 1 title showdown against Lens on Saturday.
The Arsenal and England U21 international arrived in France yesterday to complete the formalities ahead of his season-long loan switch.
When quizzed on the arrivals of Feyenoord midfielder Quinten Timber, brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien, and Nwaneri, De Zerbi said following the 3-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool : "Timber and Nwaneri? I'm absolutely delighted they've signed for OM; they could even play as soon as Saturday. They're two quality players, with experience for Timber and talent for Nwaneri."
Marseille's home fixture against Ligue 1 leaders Lens this weekend is considered must-win. De Zerbi's side currently sit third in the standings and they're already eight points adrift of Lens, who are also one point clear of holders Paris Saint-Germain.
The French giants are paying an initial £1.3million (€1.5m) loan fee for Nwaneri and the final figure will be dictated by how many minutes he plays at the Stade Velodrome.
READ MORE: Arsenal eye 'next Eduardo' as Borussia Dortmund hold secret transfer talks for teenage gemREAD MORE: Arsenal 'decide next three transfers' after discussing move for £111m sensation
The deal could potentially be worth up to £3.5m (€4m) and effectively contains a penalty clause which means the more Nwaneri plays, the less Marseille pay.
Intriguingly, Marseille sporting director Medhi Benatia, who was once linked with Arsenal during his playing days, appears to have indicated Nwaneri is viewed as right-wing cover for Mason Greenwood.
Benatia told Canal+: "These are players we were fortunate enough to develop thanks to our coach.
"In France, we sometimes like to tease him a bit, but he's a highly respected coach who plays attractive football. Nwaneri? He was the only position where we weren't covered by Mason."
Ethan Nwaneri
View 2 Images
Ethan Nwaneri has struggled for minutes this season at Arsenal(Image: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal were insistent that there would be no buy-option included within any potential loan agreement for Nwaneri.
Additionally, they did not deem a loan essential this month as the Gunners remain in four competitions and will therefore need to call upon the depth of their squad.
Article continues below
The 18-year-old attracted loan interest from a number of clubs with West Ham, Crystal Palace, Borussia Dortmund and Bournemouth among those who have missed out.
Nwaneri desperately needs minutes and regular playing time and there's hope he will receive just that at the Stade Velodrome following dialogue between Mikel Arteta and De Zerbi.
Welcome to 'Seeing Red' - our new Arsenal podcast
We've launched a new Arsenal podcast 'Seeing Red' with chief football writer John Cross and Arsenal reporter Tom Canton.
Each week, they will dive deep into the biggest topics as they follow Mikel Arteta's side every step of the way - and will also discuss nostalgic flashbacks before each fixture.
It's a great time to be an Arsenal fan, with the Gunners flying high under Arteta as they look to win silverware this season.
The North Londoners are going strong in the Premier League and Champions League - and they're also in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
We'll provide insight and reaction - and have fun along the way - as Arsenal target the biggest trophies this season.
No stone will be left unturned. VAR controversy? Poor performances? Unsung hero who deserves praise? Fixture chaos? We'll have it all covered.
Click here to view our YouTube channel
Click here to download our podcasts