What Arsenal higher-ups hope happens with Ethan Nwaneri after loan move
Ethan Nwaneri will spend the season as a Borussia Dortmund player.
The 19-year-old joined the Bundesliga side on deadline day on a season-long loan.
Arsenal pocketed a €5million loan fee for the 19-year-old and have also included a recall clause, giving the Gunners full control in January if needed.
After a difficult loan spell at Marseille last season — disrupted by Roberto De Zerbi’s departure — Nwaneri needed the right environment.
Dortmund, who have a track record of developing young English talent like Jude Bellingham and Jadon Sancho, is exactly that.
Nwaneri himself has spoken about how the Marseille experience has actually helped him.
Now, the thinking inside Arsenal on what they actually want from this loan has emerged.
Arsenal hope Ethan Nwaneri can claim a first-team spot next season
According to FourFourTwo, the thinking inside Arsenal on what they want from this loan has been revealed.
The club want Nwaneri to prove he can perform at a high level in the Bundesliga — a top European league.
They would then hope for him to return to the Emirates next summer ready to stake a proper claim for a far more involved role in Mikel Arteta’s plans.
That’s the plan. And so it should be.
Nwaneri himself has said he can play across all four attacking positions, hinting he backs himself to solve Arsenal’s left-wing or centre-forward problem.
The Gunners are being touted to make a move for Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi in January, but Nwaneri provides a very similar profile.
If he develops well and kicks on the way Arsenal know he is capable of, Nwaneri could save Arsenal a lot of money.
Dortmund should be a great platform for Nwaneri to develop. Now it’s on him to deliver.
