Mikel Arteta believes Ethan Nwaneri has returned from his loan at Marseille with a new maturity, describing the 19-year-old as "a different man" after a challenging spell in Ligue 1. The Arsenal manager made the comments following the Gunners' 4-1 pre-season friendly victory over Girona, where Nwaneri impressed in midfield.
Nwaneri's Difficult Loan Spell
Nwaneri, who became the youngest player in Premier League history when he debuted for Arsenal at age 15, joined Marseille in January after struggling for regular game time at the Emirates. Despite making 37 appearances across all competitions in the 2024-25 season, he featured in only six Premier League matches before the loan move was agreed.
The midfielder scored just 13 minutes into his Marseille debut, but his form dipped thereafter, and he made only 11 appearances in total during his time in France. Several pundits questioned Arteta's decision to loan out a player widely regarded as the future of Arsenal, especially given the underwhelming nature of the spell.
Arteta's Verdict on the Loan
Speaking after the Girona match, Arteta acknowledged that the loan "wasn't ideal" in terms of playing time but stressed the broader benefits of the experience. "On the pitch, he didn't [work] because a lot happened in Marseille," Arteta said. "But when you just stand in front of him, you sense the maturity and he looks like a different man. The experience on paper, it wasn't ideal but I think he went through something that is going to help him a lot in his career."
Arteta's assessment suggests that Nwaneri's time away has accelerated his personal development, even if his on-field statistics were modest. The midfielder will now face increased competition at Arsenal, with the club closing in on a deal for Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes.
Arsenal's Transfer Activity
Arteta declined to comment on specific transfer targets after the Girona win but confirmed the club is actively seeking to strengthen the squad. "We are really active trying to improve and evolve the team; that's clear," he said. "We expect to have movements in the next few weeks, obviously. We want to get better like anybody else, and you just can see the transfer market and our opponents, what we are doing. We won't sit still and we are very ambitious with what we are doing."
When asked why strengthening was so crucial this summer, Arteta highlighted the narrow margins in top-level football. "Because the margins are very small," he explained. "Because we want to get better and the level is going to increase. We need to increase the competition internally. We need to make sure we identify the things that we don't have in the team. We have bigger margins and that's the way we have to see it."
Pre-Season and Title Defence
Arsenal's next pre-season fixture is against Real Betis, followed by matches against Borussia Dortmund and Como. The Gunners begin their Premier League title defence on August 21 against newly-promoted Coventry City, managed by Frank Lampard. With Nwaneri reintegrated and potential new signings on the horizon, Arteta's side aims to build on their recent domestic success.
