Ethan Nwaneri’s loan spell at Olympique Marseille has taken an early twist, with the Arsenal youngster left on the bench as an unused substitute in the 2-2 draw against Strasbourg.
The 18-year-old watched the full match from the sidelines at the Velodrome, even though Marseille still had two substitutions available in the closing stages.
Nwaneri moved to France in January hoping for regular senior minutes, and Roberto De Zerbi’s presence was a major factor in Mikel Arteta approving the deal. Under the Italian, the teenager featured in four of five matches, suggesting a clear development plan was in place. That picture has changed quickly since De Zerbi was dismissed earlier this week, leaving Nwaneri in a more uncertain position.
Interim coach Jacques Abardonado has taken over on the touchline but is not guaranteed to keep the job until the end of the season.
As a result, Nwaneri’s prospects in Ligue 1 now hinge heavily on who Marseille appoint as their next permanent manager and how much faith that coach has in giving opportunities to a gifted but still raw attacking midfielder.
