(Credit: Imago)

Evan Shaw

Fri 6 March 2026 11:00, UK

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Arsenal starlet Ethan Nwaneri’s loan spell with Marseille is already becoming a “nightmare” after just seven appearances.

The Gunners loaned the 18-year-old to the Ligue 1 giants during the January transfer window, and reports in France have already suggested that the move is not playing out at all well for him.

Nwaneri is widely regarded as one of the North Londoners’ brightest young talents at the moment, but he found gametime hard to come by in the first half of the season, as he played just 165 Premier League minutes.

A loan move away for the winger formed a key priority in Arsenal’s transfer plans in the recent winter window, but they may already be regretting their decision with the way he has started.

Ethan Nwaneri branded a ‘waste of time’ after penalty miss

Nwaneri’s spell in France began well as he scored in a 3-1 win over Lens on his debut on 24 January, but things have quickly gone downhill for him since then.

The wideman has started just three league games so far in his first move away from his boyhood club, and it is clear that his performances have left a lot to be desired.

Nwaneri was introduced from the bench at half-time of Marseille’s 2-2 draw with Toulouse in the quarter final of the Coupe De France on Wednesday night, before his most notable contribution came in unwanted fashion.

The game eventually went to a shootout, only for Nwaneri to blaze his team’s fifth penalty over the crossbar, to hand the victory to Toulouse.

There has been little sympathy shown towards him from the French media, with Foot Mercato suggesting that his loan spell is already at risk of becoming a “waste of time” and a “nightmare.”

That will undoubtedly be prompting plenty of concern back at the Emirates Stadium, as his parent club would have hoped for him to make clear progress during his time away.

Arsenal to accept Premier League loan offer for Nwaneri this summer

Arsenal faced interest in Nwaneri from several Premier League sides in January, with the likes of Everton, Fulham and Sunderland all understood to have been keen to take him until the end of the season.

However, Mikel Arteta and Co. eventually decided that a move abroad would be more beneficial for the youngster at this stage of his development, although that call has backfired on them so far.

A change in culture, lifestyle and language can often be a lot to take in for a young player, and it has become apparent that Nwaneri is struggling to adapt to his new surroundings.

With that in mind, Arsenal are surely far better served by accepting a Premier League offer for their talent in the summer, to ensure that he can gain further first-team experience in a more familiar environment.

Nwaneri’s growing reputation within the game means that it is unlikely that the interest from England will have died down in recent months, and Arsenal should have plenty of options when it comes to his next move.