**Ethan Nwaneri** has lifted the lid on his switch to **Borussia Dortmund** from boyhood club **Arsenal**.
The attacker was the youngest **Premier League** debutant when he came off the bench for the _Gunners_ in a 3-0 win against **Brentford** back in September 2022. But he only had one league appearance the next campaign and sustained playing time arrived after a Grade 3 hamstring tear for **Bukayo Saka**.
He scored his first **Champions League** goal against **Girona** in January 2025, completed the 5-1 rout of **Manchester City** in February, and linked up with **Myles Lewis-Skelly** to score the second of seven goals against **PSV Eindhoven** in March. Though the teenager made a massive impression from the right wing, first team minutes became more infrequent when Saka returned to the field in April.
Nwaneri’s next sustained spell of minutes were response to several shoulder injuries for club captain **Martin Odegaard** against **Leeds United** and **Nottingham Forest** at the start of the 2025/26 season.
· **‘I'm more relaxed, open, mentally better prepared’**
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But even as Odegaard’s form and fitness fluctuated, **Eberechi Eze**, signed from **Crystal Palace**, was preferred as a starting attacking midfielder. Eventually, Nwaneri bit the bullet with a loan move to **Marseille** in January this year, and he scored 13 minutes into his debut. Unfortunately, **Roberto de Zerbi** departed weeks after the deal, and he had only earned nine appearances by the end of May.
Nwaneri is now hoping that a season-long loan to Dortmund gives him the time to be embedded in another squad properly, and his time in France has opened up his mind to the value of going abroad.
An ACL injury for 23-year-old **Giannis Konstantelias** created the need for such a signing, and Nwaneri recognised the importance of living in the moment to make the most of his career.
_"As soon as I heard about BVB’s interest and a meeting took place, everything developed very quickly. After just a few hours, there were advanced talks taking place behind the scenes. As soon as I learned of their interest, I was ready to leave._
_"I've spoken to_ **_Jobe Bellingham_**_. going on with you?' I told him that I couldn't really say yet. But we talked a lot. He kept saying I should come to BVB. I'm happy that we'll now be playing side by side._
_"I think it's definitely easier now. The first time, you really leave your comfort zone, it's completely new territory. But I'm more relaxed, more open, and mentally better prepared. I'm used to it by now."_
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