Arsenal are preparing to face Brentford in the Premier League on Thursday night
Jake Bayliss
05:00, 11 Feb 2026
Ethan Nwaneri of Marseille
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Ethan Nwaneri is on loan at Marseille from Arsenal(Image: Xavier Laine, Getty Images)
Arsenal are gearing up to take on Brentford in another pivotal week of the Premier League title race. The Gunners will have the advantage of knowing their rivals' midweek results before stepping onto the pitch against the Bees on Thursday.
Mikel Arteta's men currently enjoy a six-point cushion at the top, although Manchester City's dramatic victory over Liverpool at the weekend prevented them from extending that lead further. Arsenal face a Brentford outfit determined to disrupt the club's championship ambitions, as Keith Andrews' side pursue their own European qualification hopes.
While the Gunners look to end their trophy drought, there has been considerable discussion regarding how the club intends to bolster their squad during the summer transfer window. Here is a round-up of some of the latest stories surrounding the club.
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Ethan Nwaneri concern
Ethan Nwaneri enjoyed a fairytale beginning to his loan stint at Marseille, but his fortunes have rapidly deteriorated after being withdrawn at half-time during the club's 5-0 thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain on Sunday. The 18-year-old moved to the French club in search of consistent playing time, but has now been substituted at the break in the team's previous two matches.
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Manager Roberto De Zerbi has stated that the decision to loan Nwaneri was made in the player's best interest. However, L'Equipe has reported a decline in morale within the Marseille squad in recent months.
It's claimed that the players are disgruntled with their strict working conditions and puzzled by some of De Zerbi's decisions. These claims to the French press suggest that Nwaneri may have joined the club at a less-than-ideal time.
RMC Sport reports that De Zerbi is reflecting on his own role in the situation. Meanwhile, Nwaneri will be concentrating on learning from the challenges he faced at Arsenal as he seeks to prove his worth away from the Gunners.
Arsenal set to discuss transfer
Fellow Arsenal loanee Fabio Vieira is due to be the focus of discussions about his future. The 25-year-old is currently on loan at Hamburg and has been a standout performer for the newly-promoted Bundesliga team, netting twice and setting up four goals in 15 appearances.
Fabio Vieira of Hamburg
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Fabio Vieira has enjoyed a productive loan spell with Hamburg(Image: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Vieira will have one year remaining on his Arsenal contract at the end of the season, having spent the last two seasons on loan following an earlier stint with Porto. His loan deal to Hamburg included a buy option of approximately £17million.
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Despite the clause being agreed, Bild reports that the German club plans to renegotiate the fee when discussions between the two clubs take place later in the year. These talks are set for April or May, at which point a decision on a permanent transfer could be reached.
It's claimed that Hamburg would struggle to meet the buy clause, especially as they're only five points clear of the relegation zone. However, the prospect of altering the fee during transfer negotiations has not been ruled out.
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