Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has praised Mikel Arteta for sanctioning Arsenal’s ‘extremely clever’ January loan for Ethan Nwaneri.
The Gunners have agreed to send Nwaneri, 18, to French side Marseille for the rest of the season.
Nwaneri became the youngest player to play in the Premier League when he made his Arsenal debut in 2022 at the age of 15.
The teenage midfielder enjoyed a breakout season for Arsenal last term, making 37 appearances in all competitions and establishing himself as a key member of Arteta’s squad.
Given his rise, Nwaneri was expected to kick on this season and continue to impress for the title-chasing Gunners, but instead he has started just three games – all coming in cup competitions.
Despite struggling for minutes, Arsenal initially wanted Nwaneri to remain in north London and reap the benefits of being in an around a squad that could well end the club’s 22-year title drought.
But Nwaneri made it clear to Arsenal that a move to Marseille appealed as he both wants more minutes and is keen to experience not only another league but another country.
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The England U21 star joins a Marseille side who are third in Ligue 1 – eight points behind surprise leaders Lens and mid-table in the Champions League group phase.
Nwaneri will work under Roberto De Zerbi in France and Gerrard is adamant the former Brighton manager will improve Arsenal’s teenage sensation.
Asked for his opinion on young players going on loan moves abroad, ex-Liverpool captain Gerrard said on TNT Sports: ‘I love it, I love it. If this works, everyone can be a winner from it.
‘Mikel Arteta has been extremely clever here because he’s sending him to De Zerbi who has a track record of improving players. He will give him the time and the education and the development he needs.
‘He will get more game-time playing for Marseille and if he samples the league, samples the experiences like tonight it’s not going to do any harm for his development.
‘He’s a top talent, now he needs to get some experience and this will bode well for him in the future.’
Gerrard believes Arteta would ideally have kept Nwaneri at the Emirates Stadium but says the loan move can prove beneficial for Arsenal in the long run.
‘From a selfish point of view he probably wanted to keep him around the squad,’ Gerrard added. ‘He’s going for the Premier League and they’re involved in the Champions League – they’re going for the quadruple at this point.
‘You want as many options as you possibly can but there’s a part of you that thinks about the player and where you want him to be in the next few years.
‘If he’s going to be a top player for Arsenal the best thing for him is to play games, give him different experiences and test him out.
‘Hopefully in six months he comes back with more games under his belt, more experience and he’s a better player. Without a doubt, De Zerbi will make him a better player.’
Gerrard’s former England teammate Joe Hart also sees the logic in Arsenal loaning out Nwaneri to Champions League side Marseille.
‘I think it makes sense,’ the former Three Lions goalkeeper said. ‘He obviously ultimately wants to prove himself at Arsenal – that’s what he will see in his future.
‘But if you get a great opportunity to go to a club like Marseille with that atmosphere and coach you take it.
‘At the moment Arsenal are so focussed on what they’re doing, they can’t really afford to blood in youngsters, people need to play on merit and they’ve got an incredible squad. So I think it works for everyone.’
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