West Ham United have failed in an attempt to land Ethan Nwaneri on loan this month, with Arsenal rejecting interest in the teenage midfielder as they prioritise maintaining their squad depth for the second half of their title-chasing season.
The 18-year-old has remained on the fringes in the league despite last year’s breakthrough, yet the view inside Arsenal is clear: they are not about to weaken their options at a critical point in the campaign, particularly with the club still competing across four fronts.
Football.london reported that West Ham were keen to explore a January loan for Nwaneri, but Arsenal have knocked back the approach from their London rivals. The decision comes despite the midfielder’s limited involvement in the Premier League this season, where he has yet to make a start.
When opportunities have arrived elsewhere, however, Nwaneri has offered a reminder of his value. He made his fourth start of the season in Sunday’s FA Cup tie away to Portsmouth, a rare inclusion from the beginning in a competition that has often been used to manage workloads and reward those outside the regular XI.
After that match, Mikel Arteta pointed directly to the strength of the squad as the decisive factor in Nwaneri’s lack of minutes. “He deserved that (chance),” Arteta said. “Because of the strength of the squad and the players that are in the positions, he hasn’t been able to play. Today he’s done it, and I think he had some very good minutes.”
The midfielder has also been linked with a possible loan move to AFC Bournemouth, but the preference from those around the player is understood to be staying at Arsenal and seeing out the season as part of Arsenal’s title challenge, rather than moving mid-season.