Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri's troubled start to his Marseille loan spell has taken a fresh turn
Ethan Nwaneri
All is not well behind the scenes at Ethan Nwaneri's new club(Image: Getty Images)
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Ethan Nwaneri could find himself embroiled in a player revolt at Marseille just weeks after his arrival from Arsenal. The 18-year-old joined the French club on loan for the rest of the season last month after limited playing opportunities under Mikel Arteta.
However, following a promising start that saw him score on his debut in a victory over Lens, circumstances have since deteriorated. On Sunday, Marseille suffered a 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain, with Nwaneri substituted at the interval with his side trailing 2-0.
Head coach Roberto De Zerbi defended the substitution, explaining that he needed to "protect" the teenager. The ex-Brighton boss said: "He wasn't having a great night. He wasn't getting much support from his teammates. He needed to be protected, like all young players."
Since the game, reports have surfaced in France suggesting significant unrest within the Marseille dressing room, with players reportedly dissatisfied with De Zerbi's approach. L'Equipe reports that morale in the camp has declined in recent months, with squad members unhappy about working conditions, which feature rigorous monitoring both on and off the training ground.
This monitoring, according to reports, encompasses arrival and departure schedules for training sessions, the duration of stretching routines and dietary choices in the club canteen. Players are reportedly growing increasingly perplexed by De Zerbi's decisions, but don't feel confident enough to question him.
The fact that these issues with the Italian coach have been leaked to the French press suggests a crisis point is looming, with either a player rebellion or managerial change potentially on the horizon.
RMC Sport has reported that the Italian is reflecting on the current situation and wondering whether he is "definitively the problem". The same source claims he "feels offended and betrayed by his players", but enjoys the backing of the club's top bosses.
Roberto De Zerbi
Marseille players are reportedly unhappy with Roberto De Zerbi(Image: Getty Images)
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As a newcomer, Nwaneri has presumably kept his head down, but it's far from an ideal scenario for the young player or Arteta, who advised the teenager to "swim with the sharks" following his loan move.
Arteta said: "The talented young players that we have need minutes, and Ethan wasn't getting enough minutes. The last thing we want to do is cut his development because he's such a talent. He lives and breathes football. That's his life.
Ethan Nwaneri of Olympique de Marseille competes for the ball with Nuno Mendes of PSG during the Ligue 1 McDonald's match between Paris Saint-Germain FC and Olympique de Marseille
Nwaneri was taken off at half-time against PSG(Image: Getty)
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"Having all the options, and understanding the experience that we had in Marseille with William (Saliba), and the fact that Roberto (De Zerbi) is there, who is an incredible developer of young talent and the courageous way he plays, means it is going to be a great experience for Ethan."
Marseille, currently sitting fourth in Ligue 1 and trailing leaders PSG by 12 points, host Strasbourg on Saturday.
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