Mikel Arteta said throwing Ethan Nwaneri in with the ‘sharks’ on loan at Marseille will do wonders for his development — and hinted other youngsters could follow suit in future.
Nwaneri, who is joining the Ligue 1 club on loan for the rest of the season, has not started a league match in this campaign after a breakthrough 2024-25 season with Arsenal’s squad deep in depth.
That has seen £67.5million signing Eberechi Eze have to contend with largely being on the bench for Premier League matches.
Saliba went on three loan spells to Ligue 1 after joining Arsenal, including to Marseille, which proved to be crucial for his development before establishing himself as a cornerstone of Arteta’s defence and one of the league’s standout centre backs.
Arteta said: ‘I think the talented young players that we have, they need minutes.
‘And in this case, Ethan wasn’t having enough minutes. And the last thing that we want is to cut his development because he’s such a talent and loves and breathes football. That’s his life.
Mikel Arteta has claimed that sending Ethan Nwaneri out on loan will do wonders for his development
The Gunners youngster has joined Marseille ona temporary deal until the end of the season
‘And after having a discussion with him, his father, the agent and the club, we decided that the best thing to do was to leave and go on loan.
‘And then we have to pick the right place. Having all the options, understanding the experience that we had in Marseille as well as with Willy (Saliba), the fact that Roberto (De Zerbi) is there and he’s an incredible developer of young talent and is a really courageous man in the way he plays with young talent as well.
‘He has a big track record about that. And I think it fits the way of playing for the qualities that we want to see for Ethan. So, it’s going to be a great experience for him.’
On Arteta’s own experience as an 18-year-old on loan to Paris Saint-Germain, he added: ‘Not only me but a lot of players have these kind of situations.
‘You’re going to play at the weekend and you’re going to start a lot of games and this is all very good. But one day you have to go, pack your bags, this is the flight tickets and you have to go to Marseille.
‘And that is fear, it is insecurity, it is getting out of a place that has been really comfortable for him around his family but then this is the thing. At the end you have to be thrown there into the sharks in an incredible football culture and atmosphere and club and it’s going to make him so much good.’
