Arsenal veteran and pundit Nigel Winterburn has warned that the Gunners may have left themselves short in key areas and taken an “unnecessary risk” by allowing Ethan Nwaneri to join Olympique de Marseille on loan in January.
The former ARSENAL left-back, speaking in media commentary this week, highlighted Arsenal’s growing injury crisis — with absences in midfield and across the forward line — as evidence that letting the England U21 international leave mid-season might have been ill-timed.
Nwaneri accepted the loan move with the expectation of securing regular first-team football in France under then-manager Roberto De Zerbi, a plan Arsenal framed as key to the young attacker’s development. He made an immediate impact at Marseille, scoring just 13 minutes into his debut, but recent managerial changes in Marseille have raised questions over whether the environment will maximise his growth
‘When January came around, I had already stated players shouldn’t be going out on loan when we’re competing in all four competitions,’ ex-Arsenal and England defender Winterburn told PariuriX.com when asked about Nwaneri’s departure on loan.
‘You keep them all unless a player is really asking to go out on loan. You don’t do anything. You never know what’s going to happen with the squad.
‘We let Nwaneri go out on loan and all of a sudden, Merino gets injured, so you need to be careful.’
Did Arteta Make a Mistake?
Critics of the loan contend that Arsenal’s decision was overly optimistic given the congested fixture schedule and thin squad depth. With injuries to senior midfielders and attackers, having an extra creative option like Nwaneri available could have offered Arteta valuable tactical flexibility. Some supporters also point to Nwaneri’s recent standout performances for the England U21s.
Conversely, there is a strong case that the loan was handled for the right reasons. At ARSENALminutes were hard to come by due to the depth and quality ahead of Nwaneri, and consistent game time in a competitive league like Ligue 1 can be far more beneficial for a teenager’s growth than intermittent substitute appearances.
The Saliba model — where William Saliba spent key developmental years on loan in France before returning as a cornerstone defender — is frequently cited as a blueprint.
Whether Arteta’s decision ultimately looks flawed depends largely on Nwaneri’s progress at Marseille and how Arsenal manage their squad through this crucial run-in.
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