Mikel Arteta insists it was still the ‘best decision’ for Arsenal to permit Ethan Nwaneri to depart the club to affix Marseille on loan.
Nwaneri broke into the first-team last season but big spending on the Emirates in the summertime saw him pushed down the pecking order, starting just 4 matches in all competitions – none of those within the Premier League.
The 18-year-old didn’t even make the bench in the ultimate 4 league games before he sealed a January move to Marseille until the tip of the season.
Nwaneri has began every game since arriving in France but back in north London, injuries mean Arteta is suddenly in need of options in midfield.
Mikel Merino may very well be out for the remaining of the season having undergone foot surgery this week with Kai Havertz sidelined again with a muscle problem.
Martin Odegaard has also struggled with a knock in recent weeks and was spotted leaving the stadium with a limp after the 1-1 draw with Brentford on Thursday. Eberechi Eze, considered one of the signings who pushed Nwaneri down the pecking order, is woefully off form.
Arsenal are still battling on 4 fronts with Sunday’s FA Cup clash with Wigan Athletic a game Nwaneri would have surely began.
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But Arteta has insisted it was not a mistake to let him leave mid-season.
‘That’s easy to say,” Arteta said. ‘After making the choice, who could have predicted that Mikel was going to be out for five months and Kai?
‘It’s unlucky, at the tip we’ve got to make the choices on the moment, understanding the context there.
‘One of the best decision for the club, for Ethan, needless to say it was for him to go and experience a distinct environment, have minutes played, and prepare to come back back to us.’
The presence of Roberto De Zerbi also played a pivotal think about the choice to send Nwaneri to Marseille with Premier League sides also focused on the young star.
The previous Brighton boss left his post in France this week, nevertheless.
‘Well, I cannot control that,’ Arteta said of De Zerbi’s departure.
‘Again, it’s a call and that’s a part of playing on loan, and that’s a part of a journey of a football player. So that you’re going to should work with different coaches, and that may occur any moment, you can not control that, you can not avoid that.’
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