Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has thrown his support behind Ethan Nwaneri following the teenager’s loan move to Marseille, urging the highly rated midfielder to embrace the opportunity as a vital step in his development.
Nwaneri wasted no time making his mark in France, scoring a stunning goal on his debut against RC Lens just 24 hours after completing the switch.
The 18-year-old academy graduate is spending the remainder of the season in Ligue 1 as he looks to accelerate his progress and push closer to a regular role in Mikel Arteta’s first team.
🏴🪄 It took Ethan Nwaneri (18) just 13 minutes to score on his DEBUT for Marseille! ✅👏
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) January 26, 2026
For Odegaard, the move represents a familiar and necessary phase in the journey of a young player striving to reach the highest level.
Odegaard shares lessons from experience
Odegaard knows first-hand the value of temporary moves away from a parent club. The Norwegian endured several loan spells during his formative years at Real Madrid, experiences he credits with shaping his mentality and sharpening his game.
Speaking this week, the Arsenal skipper revealed he spoke to Nwaneri before his departure to offer guidance and reassurance.
“I went on loan a few times when I was a young player and so I spoke with Ethan before he left about it,” Odegaard said. “We spoke about what he was feeling about his situation and the opportunity, and I understand it – I’ve been there too.”
A chance to grow through responsibility
Odegaard believes consistent game time is crucial at Nwaneri’s age, particularly for a player eager to showcase his talent beyond brief appearances from the bench.
“Obviously you always want to play more, so this will be a good move for him,” he explained. “At that stage of your career, you need to play games to grow even more. It’s a chance for him to take more responsibility and to grow as a player, and as a person.”
Arsenal confident of a stronger return
The Arsenal captain is convinced the loan spell will benefit all parties. He expressed confidence that Nwaneri will thrive at Marseille, gain valuable experience and return to north London better equipped to compete for a place.
“I’m sure he’s going to do well there,” Odegaard added. “He’ll be absolutely fine and come back here stronger.”
