Ethan Nwaneri is likely to turn down a loan move to Bournemouth this month, despite his limited minutes for Arsenal so far this season.
Ethan Nwaneri has been increasingly linked with a possible loan departure from Arsenal this month, and Isaan Khan reported for the Daily Mail last week that AFC Bournemouth were one of multiple Premier League clubs to have registered an interest.
Miguel Delaney confirms for the Independent that Bournemouth are interested in Nwaneri and open to a loan move, with Arsenal open to the possibility.
With Bournemouth selling Antoine Semenyo to Manchester City and losing Justin Kluivert to injury, there’s also an opening for regular minutes with the Premier League side.
Yet Delaney adds that Nwaneri’s preference is to remain with Arsenal. Those close to the player reportedly view a loan as unlikely, with the 18-year-old understood to feel he can learn more as part of a title challenge.
Delaney claims Nwaneri is content to be patient and wait until the end of the season before assessing his situation, and he’d prefer a move to a big club overseas rather than a Premier League switch even at that stage.
Nwaneri has only made a handful of starts for Arsenal this season, and he’s been left out of the squad completely on a few occasions recently. But there will still be opportunities for him in the second half of the season.
The larger squad in the Champions League means Nwaneri is likely to continue at least making the bench in that competition, and he’s also started two of Arsenal’s three cup games so far.
With the Gunners still competing in the League Cup and kicking off their FA Cup campaign this weekend, there could be further chances for Nwaneri away from the Premier League in 2026.
Should Arsenal suffer defeats to Portsmouth and Chelsea over the next week, perhaps Nwaneri would then have to factor that into his thinking. But we’re not at that stage yet.