Ethan Nwaneri recently sealed a season-long loan switch to Marseille from Arsenal, however, the Gunners were not willing to include a buy-option clause as he remains a key part of their future plans
Ryan Taylor
15:28, 02 Feb 2026Updated 15:43, 02 Feb 2026
Ethan Nwaneri
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Ethan Nwaneri will return to Arsenal following the conclusion of his Marseille loan
Ethan Nwaneri has confirmed he will return to Arsenal following the completion of his Marseille loan - but he hasn't ruled out the prospect of a permanent transfer, either.
The England U21 international joined OM on loan for the remainder of the campaign last month and also netted just 13 minutes into his debut, scoring in a 3-1 victory over Lens.
Nwaneri took questions from the media at a press conference on Monday ahead of the club's French Cup Round of 16 clash against Stade Rennes.
He was asked about his future, the exclusion of a buy-option clause and whether that definitely means he'll return to Arsenal, to which he replied: "Yes, that's true, anything is possible in football. We'll see what happens. We'll see if there's any contact. I can't tell you what will happen. We'll see when it happens."
The attacking midfielder is understood to have held private talks with both William Saliba, who previously flourished on loan at Marseille during the 2021-22 season, and Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard before moving to the Stade Velodrome.
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Nwaneri claims Marseille's stature and rich history is what attracted him to sign on the dotted line in the South of France, adding: "First of all, I think Olympique de Marseille is a very big club. The coaches, the fans, the way they play, it's extraordinary. The fans really give it their all.
"I think it's a great opportunity for me. I didn't hesitate. Honestly, my answer to all of that was yes. I think that's why I came. The experience, seeing a big club like this, learning as much as possible, and being able to really add that to my skill-set at the end of the season.
"When I came here, obviously I wasn't yet 100 per cent fit, but I'm working on it. I've also spoken with the staff and I think I'll be able to play more and more. I felt good during the last match. That's normal, of course, it's a process. There haven't been any injuries, so I feel good, honestly."
The first 10 days of Nwaneri's loan have been tinged with disappointment, however, despite his dream debut and two consecutive starts in Ligue 1, respectively.
Ethan Nwaneri
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Ethan Nwaneri has already made two starts in Ligue 1 for Marseille(Image: Getty)
That's because OM were eliminated from the Champions League on Wednesday evening following a 3-0 defeat to Club Brugge following Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin's last-gasp heroics against Real Madrid.
Nwaneri was in attendance in Bruges but was not eligible to feature, though he could have been registered for the knockout stages of the competition.
He said on Marseille's European exit: "Obviously, the whole team was very disappointed. We wanted to move forward, to progress in the Champions League. Obviously, the way we were eliminated is frustrating.
"It wasn't a good feeling, but we have to react quickly. We don't really have time to dwell on it. Two or three days later, we already had to play again. It's disappointing, but we have to keep going."
Arsenal are not expected to explore recalling Nwaneri in light of Mikel Merino's foot injury. There is no break clause included within the agreement, anyway.
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