Arsenal are planning to offload Ethan Nwaneri before the summer transfer window closes after he was left out of the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Nwaneri has been linked with another move away from Arsenal this summer after spending the second-half of last season on loan at Marseille.
The 19-year-old is one of the most highly-rated players in Europe despite a disappointing 2025-26 campaign.
The midfielder became the youngest player to ever feature in the Premier League when he made his debut for Arsenal in 2022, and established himself as a regular member of Mikel Arteta’s first-team squad during the 2024-25 season.
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Nwaneri made 37 appearances for his boyhood club that term and was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award while being rewarded with a new long-term contract.
The 19-year-old was expected to continue to contribute last season but only featured in six league games before being sent on loan to Marseille in January.
Arsenal bosses were confident he would develop in France but Nwaneri only made nine appearances during an underwhelming loan before returning to the Premier League champions.
Despite failing to make an impact for Marseille, Arteta insisted Nwaneri would benefit from his time away from Arsenal and returned ‘looking like a different man’.
‘On the pitch, he didn’t [work] because a lot happened in Marseille,’ Arteta said after Arsenal beat Girona 4-1 in their first pre-season friendly.
‘But when you just stand in front of him, you sense the maturity and he looks like a different man.
‘The experience on paper, it wasn’t ideal but I think he went through something that is going to help him a lot in his career.’
Speaking on Friday before the Community Shield, Arteta admitted Nwaneri could still leave Arsenal before the transfer deadline.
‘I want him to be at the club. But we have to think about the medium and long term,’ Arteta said.
‘What is best for the player? Ethan needs to play football. If he stays here, we must be able to guarantee him those minutes, otherwise it won’t be beneficial for either side.’
Nwaneri has attracted interest from Galatasaray, Borussia Dortmund and AC Milan in recent weeks and Fabrizio Romano has confirmed Arsenal plan to offload him after he was left out of the Community Shield.
It is not clear whether Arsenal will sanction another loan move for the teenager or sell him in a possible deal with a buy-back option.
While Nwaneri was left out of the Premier League curtain-raiser in Cardiff, summer signings Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis were both handed their Arsenal debuts by Arteta.
‘Christos [Tzolis] came early so that always helps,’ Arteta said. ‘Bruno [Guimaraes] only joined us last week, but he’s in good condition and we know what he will bring to the team.
‘He is a ball of energy. He has an unbelievable desire to win every ball. You sense he will drive the dressing room and when you bring someone with that competitive nature, it will only drive the boys.’
Asked about Arsenal’s plan to retain the Premier League trophy, Arteta added: ‘It’s very difficult, that’s why we haven’t done it in this football club. You have to raise the level from every angle.’
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