Borussia Dortmund boss approves Arsenal transfer as Mikel Arteta gets Ethan Nwaneri update
Ethan Nwaneri joined Borussia Dortmund on loan from Arsenal on deadline day.(Image: Photo by EYE4images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Niko Kovac has described Ethan Nwaneri as an 'important player' for Borussia Dortmund. The 19-year-old midfielder, whom the German giants signed on loan from Arsenal at the end of the summer transfer window, could make his first start of the season this weekend when Paderborn travel to the Signal Iduna Park.
On Saturday afternoon, Dortmund will host the newly promoted outfit as they look to maintain a perfect start to the Bundesliga campaign. Nwaneri has already featured for Kovac's side in the German top-flight, making his debut off the bench during the first half of a 3-2 win over Hoffenheim.
In fact, the England Under-21 international played a key role in the victory, forcing an own goal from Albian Hajdari, who deflected an excellent daisy-cutting pass across the face of the six-yard box into his own net.
Nwaneri was brought off the bench in the first half again on Tuesday night, helping Dortmund win 3-2 against Villarreal in the opening clash of the UEFA Champions League 'league phase'.
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With Kovac juggling a couple of injuries to big names, the Arsenal loanee could finally make his first start for the German outfit this weekend. Speaking to reporters ahead of the game against Paderborn, the Dortmund boss provided an update on Nwaneri and his integration.
"We already wanted to sign Ethan last season because we believed in him then, and we still do," Kovac told reporters, as quoted by Buli News, in the pre-match press conference. "He has integrated really well, he fits in, and he’s a good guy – very calm and down-to-earth, friendly and helpful.
"In his two appearances, he has already shown that he can help the team with his abilities. I’m very pleased with him, and he will continue to be very important in the coming weeks and months."
Kovac was very complimentary last weekend, too, after Nwaneri inspired a comeback against Hoffenheim, as previously mentioned. The Dortmund boss said: "I liked what I saw.
"That’s what we brought him in for… Maybe it wasn’t officially his goal, but he created it."
Kovac added: "Nwaneri is physically fit. It’s very important when a player arrives having only trained twice that one can place one’s trust in him. If he hadn’t been fit, I wouldn’t have brought him on. Then the risk for me would have been too great."
On what Nwaneri could offer Dortmund this season, Kovac said: "He had that little bit of luck [on the own goal], but he worked hard for it.
"We signed him because we’re convinced he has top qualities. He proved that today, and we hope he’ll continue to prove it in the coming weeks."
football.london understands that Arsenal inserted a clause into the loan agreement which reserves the option to recall Nwaneri in January. It's said that Dortmund forked out £4m to take the teenager on board for the season.
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