Olympique de Marseille head coach Habib Beye has publicly questioned the application of Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri (19) after the attacking midfielder remained an unused substitute in a 1-1 draw against OGC Nice on April 26. The England youth international, who moved to the Stade Vélodrome on a six-month loan on January 23, has struggled for minutes since Beye replaced Roberto De Zerbi in February, making just three Ligue 1 starts despite a debut goal against Lens. Reports from L’Equipe suggest a growing frustration within the French club over the player’s perceived nonchalance during training sessions.
Stalled momentum and the Habib Beye critique
Speaking in his post-match press conference following the Nice stalemate, Beye was blunt regarding the teenager's lack of involvement. "He's a quality player, but he has to give us way more in his day-to-day commitment," the Marseille boss said, adding that other members of the squad had shown significantly higher levels of application. While Beye initially positioned the Arsenal man as a tactical alternative in the absence of Mason Greenwood, he has since drifted to the periphery of the first-team squad. This decline in status is particularly sharp given Nwaneri’s prolific start in France; he found the net just 13 minutes into his debut in January. According to Football.London, the financial structure of the deal includes a sliding scale where Marseille pays a higher loan fee the less Nwaneri plays, a clause intended to incentivise development that is now proving costly for the Ligue 1 side.
Arsenal's summer dilemma and PSR outlook
Nwaneri’s long-term future at the Emirates Stadium appears increasingly uncertain despite signing a five-year contract in August 2025 worth a reported £60,000 per week. That deal, which runs until June 2030, was intended to secure one of the club's most celebrated academy products, yet Mikel Arteta’s tactical shift has seen the pathway to the first team congested. The 2025 arrivals of Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke have significantly boosted Arsenal’s depth in attacking midfield and wide areas, effectively necessitating Nwaneri's January exit. As an academy graduate, a permanent sale this summer would represent 'pure profit' on Arsenal’s balance sheet, aiding compliance with the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). Borussia Dortmund are understood to be monitoring the situation should Nwaneri become available on the market, though Arsenal have yet to formalise a valuation for the player they handed a senior debut to at just 15 years old.
The midfielder is expected to return to London following Marseille's final league fixture in May for talks regarding his immediate future.