Ethan Nwaneri was dropped from Marseille's starting XI with concerns raised about his 'day-to-day commitment'.
The Arsenal loanee did not appear for the team in a 1-1 draw against Nice on Sunday.
Ethan Nwaneri in action for Marseille on loan from Arsenal
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Ethan Nwaneri has quickly slipped down the pecking order at Marseille under new boss Habib BeyeCredit: Getty
Nwaneri moved to the south of France in January, hoping to gain first-team experience after struggling to break into a title-contending Arsenal side.
However, his time at the club has not gone as expected, with his former manager, Roberto De Zerbi, being sacked shortly after the England Under-21s arrival. With De Zerbi subsequently joining Tottenham.
Habib Beye replaced him at the French club, but Nwaneri has struggled for consistent starts since he joined in mid-February.
He has recorded two goals and one assist in 11 appearances but has only totalled 412 minutes in playing time.
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In Marseille's recent match, Beye made four changes, opting to include the newly fit Mason Greenwood.
When questioned on Nwaneri's absence, Beye said: "He’s a quality player, but he has to give us way more in his day-to-day commitment. Other players gave way more."
A video has also gone viral on X showing a despondent Nwaneri warming up before the game.
When Greenwood was sidelined against Monaco due to a yellow card suspension, Beye viewed it as an opportunity for the 19-year-old to impress.
At the time, he said: "He (Nwaneri) is a big talent who needs to adapt to the intensity of Ligue 1.
"He looks like the ideal replacement for Mason but we have several quality players to choose from.
Greenwood has scored 15 Ligue 1 goals this season for Marseille
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Greenwood has scored 15 Ligue 1 goals this season for MarseilleCredit: Getty
"He must understand he's come to a very, very high-level club."
A challenging loan spell
Despite an injury crisis affecting Marseille's forward line, with Hamed Traore, Igor Paixao and Amine Gouiri currently sidelined, the Arsenal youngster is still struggling to secure a regular position.
Additionally, the club has only won one of their last five games.
Under De Zerbi, Nwaneri saw more game time, frequently operating in the number ten position and immediately impressed by scoring 13 minutes into his debut.
Reports suggest that the England-U21s loan contract includes a penalty clause that costs Marseille more money the fewer minutes he plays, adding financial pressure on the coaching staff for their selection decisions.
Upon joining the club, Nwaneri stated how grateful he was to play at a club with such high stature.
He said: "The experience of 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.
Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal celebrating a goal.
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Nwaneri was one of six nominees for PFA Young Player of the Year award in the 2024/25 season while he was only 17 years oldCredit: Getty
"When I came here, obviously I wasn't yet 100 per cent fit, but I'm working on it.
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"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."