Ethan Nwaneri set for season-long loan move to Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have agreed a season-long loan for 19-year-old forward Ethan Nwaneri, with the deal expected to be finalised before the Bundesliga transfer deadline on September 1.
Deal in place
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund have reached an agreement for a season-long loan of 19-year-old English forward Ethan Nwaneri. According to the BBC, the move must be completed before the Bundesliga transfer deadline at 19:00 BST, with Nwaneri travelling to Germany for a medical. Journalist Fabrizio Romano described the agreement at the time of writing as a 'verbal agreement'.
Why now
Dortmund's interest in Nwaneri dates back to last summer, but the move gained urgency after new signing Giannis Konstantelias suffered a serious knee injury — a torn anterior cruciate ligament — during Saturday's win over Hamburg, as reported by Bulinews and BBC. Following the injury, Dortmund made Nwaneri a priority target as a replacement, contacting his representatives before a club-to-club agreement was reached.
Terms of the move
According to The Athletic, it is a straight loan with no buy option. Football London, citing Sky Sports Germany, reports the package is worth around £4.28 million, with Dortmund covering Nwaneri's salary and paying a loan fee.
Arsenal's position
Arsenal have not wanted to sell Nwaneri outright but have acknowledged he needs regular playing time. With attacking options including Eberechi Eze, Martin Odegaard, Max Dowman and summer signing Bruno Guimaraes, manager Mikel Arteta had limited minutes available for him. Nwaneri was left out of the squad for the Community Shield win over Manchester City and the Premier League win over Aston Villa, and was an unused substitute against Coventry City.
Need for game time
Nwaneri spent the second half of last season on loan at Marseille, making 11 appearances and scoring twice — an experience Arteta described as difficult but ultimately maturing for the player. The move to Dortmund also offers the chance to play Champions League football, something he missed at Marseille after their surprise group-stage exit.
Background
A product of Arsenal's academy, Nwaneri became the youngest player in Premier League history when he debuted against Brentford in September 2022 aged 15 years and 5 months. He has made 51 appearances for Arsenal in total, scoring 10 goals with two assists.
