Ian Wright says he’s ’quite pleased’ after what he’s now heard about Ethan Nwaneri at Arsenal

Ethan Nwaneri’s Arsenal future has been in limbo all summer.

The 19-year-old has fallen down the pecking order under Mikel Arteta since the signings of Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze.

That has been exacerbated since the breakthrough of Max Dowman, who operates in similar positions to Nwaneri.

It looked like Nwaneri was going to be sold to generate ‘pure profit’ on the books, but now Arsenal have decided they are prioritising a loan move.

That is a relief for most Arsenal fans, including Ian Wright.

Ian Wright is glad Arsenal are loaning out Ethan Nwaneri

Speaking on Stick to Football, Wright shared his verdict on Arsenal’s stance on Ethan Nwaneri.

“The unfortunate thing that happens when you get a player that comes out of the academy and breaks into the first team to do what he’s doing, is that they’ve always got that sort of like pure profit on them,” he said.” So it’s the same what’s happening with Ethan Nwaneri.

“I’m hearing now that they’re not going to sell, they’re going to loan him, which I’m quite pleased about, because I don’t think at any stage he’s had a run at having to have a go at playing in that team.”

Nwaneri made his debut in 2022 at just 15 years old, becoming the youngest ever player to feature in a Premier League game.

But his real breakthrough season was 2024-25, most notably when he stepped up at right wing with Bukayo Saka injured.

However, last season, he fell out of favour under Mikel Arteta, and was loaned out in January to Marseille, but that didn’t work out at all.

A permanent exit looked inevitable, but thankfully, Arsenal have decided they will just loan him out.

His talent is undeniable, and with four years left on his deal, there is no real incentive to sell now – arguably when his stock is lower than it has ever been.

A loan to the right club, with RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, Fulham and Sunderland among those interested, would give Nwaneri the proper platform to develop. A chance to play week-in, week-out.