According to a report published by Metro on Thursday September 3, 2026, Mikel Arteta was initially reluctant to sanction Ethan Nwaneri’s departure from Arsenal on loan to Borussia Dortmund. The Arsenal manager eventually approved the deadline-day transfer, but only after taking considerable time to assess whether sending the young midfielder away was the right decision for the club and the player.
Nwaneri ultimately completed a season-long loan move to Dortmund after the Bundesliga side intensified its pursuit of him following a serious knee injury suffered by new signing Giannis Konstantelias. The injury created an immediate need for additional attacking options, prompting Dortmund to increase its interest in the Arsenal player.The 19-year-old returned to Arsenal after spending the previous campaign on loan at Marseille, where he was given limited opportunities to establish himself. His lack of regular playing time there added uncertainty to his next step, particularly as he looked for a club that could offer him a more consistent role and valuable first-team experience.
Nwaneri’s position at the Emirates remained unclear throughout the summer. Those doubts increased after he was left out of Arsenal’s lineup for their first two Premier League matches, raising questions about whether he featured prominently in Arteta’s immediate plans.Metro reported that Dortmund helped persuade Nwaneri by assuring him that he would have regular first-team opportunities under manager Niko Kovac.
Those assurances were reportedly important in convincing the England Under-21 international that moving to Germany would provide the playing time and development environment he needed.However, German newspaper Bild claimed that Arteta needed considerable time before agreeing to the temporary departure.
The Arsenal manager was reportedly worried that he might later regret allowing Nwaneri to leave, especially because the Gunners did not sign a replacement for Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli on deadline day. With no new player brought in to cover those attacking positions, Arteta had reason to consider carefully whether permitting Nwaneri to depart would leave Arsenal short of depth during the season.The report stated that the transfer remained “in the balance” for a period, with Dortmund sporting director Nils-Ole Book continuing discussions with Arsenal officials late into the night before the two clubs finally reached an agreement.
Kovac explained that Dortmund had been searching for a player with Nwaneri’s particular qualities, saying: “We were already looking for someone in that position – someone who can play one-on-one, who is fast, who is a strong dribbler.”He continued by highlighting the teenager’s potential and international experience: “Nwaneri is a very talented player. He plays alongside Jobe Bellingham in the England U21 team. He is the youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League.”Kovac also said he believed Nwaneri could handle the demands associated with the move and fulfill the club’s ambitions for him.
“We have signed a very good player for the year. We hope he can live up to the expectations we have for him. I am convinced he can,” he said.Nwaneri, for his part, said he was immediately enthusiastic about joining Dortmund after learning that the German club was interested in signing him.
“As soon as I learned of their interest, I was ready to leave,” he said.He also confirmed that he had spoken with Jobe Bellingham before completing the move. The two England U21 teammates will now have the opportunity to play together in Germany, adding a familiar connection to Nwaneri’s new surroundings.
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