The French media claim Ethan Nwaneri’s limited starts under Marseille boss Habib Beye are due to a “persistent impression of nonchalance” from the Arsenal loanee.
In an article in L’Equipe this week, Mathieu Gregoire assessed Marseille’s winter signings, including Arsenal loanee Ethan Nwaneri.
Gregoire calls Nwaneri’s move a “misfired cannon”, suggesting the midfielder’s “thunderous start” is proving to be something of a false dawn.
The journalist reports that Nwaneri’s three goal contributions “don’t erase a persistent impression of nonchalance”, which is reportedly why Habib Beye is avoiding starting the player despite the fact it will cost Marseille money.
As reported elsewhere, L’Equipe confirm that the more Nwaneri plays, the less Marseille will pay for his loan move. Yet they’re still leaving him out more often than not.
Since Beye took charge of Marseille for their match against Stade Brestois on February 20th, he’s failed to name Nwaneri in the starting lineup in any of his eight matchday squads.
The closest Nwaneri has come to a start under Beye is when he was introduced in the 18th minute of Marseille’s Ligue 1 clash with Lille. The Arsenal midfielder scored his team’s only goal of the game, but he was substituted in the 75th minute after less than an hour of action.
Nwaneri has been linked with Borussia Dortmund over the last week, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the German club are interested.
But Romano added that Arsenal are yet to communicate any desire to sell Nwaneri with the player or his camp, with things still undecided and no intention to hold talks until after the end of the season.
It’s not impossible that those talks will ultimately result in Nwaneri’s permanent transfer, but any suggestions that it’s a done deal are premature at this stage.