Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended the club’s decision to send Ethan Nwaneri on loan to Olympique Marseille, insisting there are no regrets despite a mounting midfield injury crisis at the Emirates.
The Gunners have been dealt a significant setback with Mikel Merino ruled out for the remainder of the season and Kai Havertz sidelined for at least a month. The double blow has thinned Arteta’s options in the centre of the park, prompting questions over whether allowing Nwaneri to leave in January was a miscalculation.
Arteta, however, was unequivocal in his response. He stressed that the decision was made based on the information available at the time and that no one could have foreseen the extent of the injuries that would follow.
The Spaniard underlined that football decisions must reflect present realities rather than hindsight analysis, adding that the club acted in what it believed was the best interest of both the squad and the player.
Central to Arteta’s reasoning is Nwaneri’s long-term development. The teenager, regarded as one of Arsenal’s brightest academy prospects, moved to Marseille in search of consistent senior minutes and exposure to a new competitive environment.
Arteta believes the experience in Ligue 1 will accelerate the midfielder’s growth and better prepare him for a sustained role in North London.
“It’s easy to say in hindsight. When the decision was made, no one could have predicted that Mikel would be out for five months and the same with Kai.
“It is unfortunate, but ultimately we have to make the decisions based on the situation here and now, with an understanding of the context we are in, and what is best for the club and for Ethan,” continued Arteta.
“For him, it was clearly the right decision to come out and experience a different environment, get playing time and get ready to return to us.”
