Arsenal prioritising loan move over permanent sale for Ethan Nwaneri

Arsenal are eager to prioritise loan offers for Ethan Nwaneri this summer as opposed to sanctioning a permanent sale, according to Sami Mokbel of BBC Sport.

The 19-year-old's future with the Gunners has been incredibly uncertain throughout the transfer window as he has attracted interest from clubs in the Premier League and across Europe.

There had been plenty of talk among the media and fanbase regarding Nwaneri leaving the club for good before the window's closure on 1 September, but it seems any departure would only be on a temporary basis.

Arsenal prioritising loan offers for Ethan Nwaneri

Nwaneri already found himself under a microscope when it came to speculation over his future, but further fuel was thrown on the fire when he was excluded from Mikel Arteta's matchday squad for the 3-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday.

His struggle for minutes or general inclusion for matches seems to have continued from last season, when the arrival of Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze, and the emergence of Max Dowman from the academy prevented him from being given regular game time.

With that in mind, Arsenal have reportedly acknowledged the Hale End graduate is at a stage in his career where he would benefit from playing regular football at senior level. The club are aware this may not be possible at the Emirates Stadium this campaign given the abundance of attacking talent Arteta has at his disposal.

Nwaneri is unlikely to be given substantial minutes in the 2026/27 season so there is an understanding at the club that he would benefit from the spending the forthcoming term at another side.

The youngster's future will ultimately be dictated by the offers the Gunners receive and should the club get a proposal significantly above their valuation, then they may be forced to re-evaluate their no sale stance.

However, as it stands they are prepared to prioritise loan offers for Nwaneri with AC Milan, Red Bull Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and Fulham among the clubs to show an interest in signing him.

Sanctioning a temporary departure would be the smartest move by Arsenal. The 19-year-old still has so much to offer his boyhood club, but with no real opportunity to do that at this stage, a year away on loan would be incredibly beneficial to him.

Having failed to make a major impact during his six-month spell with Marseille last season, Nwaneri now has the chance to continue his development at another club before returning to North London and fighting for his place in Arteta's setup.

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