Arsenal are set to receive additional compensation from Olympique Marseille after performance-related clauses tied to Ethan Nwaneri’s loan spell in France were not met during the second half of the season.
The teenager joined Marseille on a six-month loan deal during the winter transfer window in a move initially viewed as an ideal opportunity for regular senior football and accelerated development.
Marseille paid an initial loan fee believed to be worth around £1.3million, but the agreement also included further financial conditions linked to Nwaneri’s playing time during the campaign.
While the exact thresholds were never made public, Arsenal are now expected to benefit financially because the England Under-21 international featured far less than anticipated after arriving at the Stade Velodrome.
Nwaneri managed just 412 minutes from a possible 1,710 across all competitions following his January switch and was left unused on the bench in five of Marseille’s final six Ligue 1 matches.
The situation became increasingly frustrating for Arsenal as the season progressed, particularly after Marseille changed managers shortly after completing the deal.
Former Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi had personally pushed to sign Nwaneri and reportedly held discussions with Mikel Arteta over the player’s development plan before the move was approved.
However, once De Zerbi departed, Nwaneri’s role diminished significantly under successor Habib Beye.
Beye publicly questioned the youngster’s application in training towards the end of April when asked about his lack of involvement, comments which later prompted a response from Arteta.
“I think that’s the coach’s opinion,” Arteta said at the time. “He’s with him every single day and that’s it. He’s the one making the decision.”
Arteta also pointed to the example of William Saliba, whose own loan spell at Marseille ultimately proved hugely beneficial before establishing himself as a key player at Arsenal.
Nwaneri’s time in France actually started brightly when he scored just 13 minutes into his debut against Lens, raising hopes of a productive loan period.
But consistency in opportunities never followed and the midfielder ended his spell with just two goals and one assist.
His most difficult moment arguably came in Marseille’s Coupe de France quarter-final defeat to Toulouse, where he missed a penalty during the shootout.
Arsenal are now expected to reassess Nwaneri’s situation this summer once he returns to north London, with another loan move still a possibility despite the difficult experience in Ligue 1.