🚨🔴⚪️ Ajax verbally agree on deal to sign Oleksandr Zinchenko from Arsenal, here we go!Agreement in place over loan until June, leaving #NFFC. Zinchenko will fly in next 24h for medical tests in Amsterdam.Ajax will cover his salary, deal in place as Telegraaf reports. pic.twitter.com/KnYqZp1i7Z— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 18, 2026
Marseille working on a loan for Nwaneri https://bsky.app/profile/david-ornstein.bsky.social/post/3mctqbvzo222r
Loan (no buy option) with fee rumored to be 3-4m based on playing time 🚨💙🤍 Ethan Nwaneri has accepted to join Olympique Marseille! Arsenal also believe it’s the best solution on loan.Arteta also spoke with Roberto de Zerbi and OM seen as ideal solution.Straight loan deal at final stages, no buy option clause — expected to be agreed soon. pic.twitter.com/iOCiYFWMZ9— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 20, 2026
19yo CB/LB 🚨🔴⚪️ Arsenal keep monitoring Real Madrid talent Víctor Valdepeñas, as revealed back in October.He’s one of the names on #AFC shortlist as potential investment for next months, but his future remains in Real Madrid hands. pic.twitter.com/vU5NIjPZ84— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 20, 2026
🚨 Marseille reach agreement with Arsenal to sign Ethan Nwaneri on loan. #OM hope 18yo travels after #AFC game at Inter in #UCL, potentially Weds. Sizeable fee but reduces based on games. Arteta drove move for attacker to work under De Zerbi @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/dT2AvO1S7Y— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 20, 2026
🚨 Marseille reach agreement with Arsenal to sign Ethan Nwaneri on loan. #OM hope 18yo travels after #AFC game at Inter in #UCL, potentially Weds. Sizeable fee but reduces based on games. Arteta drove move for attacker to work under De Zerbi @TheAthleticFC https://t.co/dT2AvO1S7Y— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) January 20, 2026
Well, that answers that question then. Good luck to Ethan, I hope he gains valuable experience and playing time.
I hope so too but he needs to be getting significant playing time. Where is he going to start on Marseille's squad? Who is he displacing? I would have preferred the rumored Bournemouth loan. Probably more playing time and in the same league.
I don't watch OM. Looking at the Google lineups (I know they aren't always accurate), OM have been playing 3-4-2-1 or 4-3-3. In the 3-4-2-1 he likely finds the hardest time getting starting min because he isn't going to displace Greenwood. Could potentially get min on the left. If they start playing 4-3-3 more he has the best shot because he can play W & AM/CM. Personally I like the move to France. Players moving from France to the EPL tend to have a good transition. French league is easier than EPL but better than the Championship so it is a solid middle ground. Posted on here several weeks ago that I would have liked to see us work a deal with Bouaddi from Lille this window and as part of the deal we loan him back and include Nwaneri and possible MLS on loan as well. That would have allowed 3 young players to get tons of minutes and develop together for atleast 4-5 months.
I saw only a few Marseille games and they were all in CL, against Newcastle I distinctly remember. And part of a draw against PSG several days ago. I think its a good move. OM are in 3rd in Ligue Un with Lens surprisingly leading and they are close behind 2nd place PSG. I just hope he gets minutes. My other concern is where he will play, wing or centrally?
That first Auba Nwaneri dressing room convo about Arteta is gonna hit like this pic.twitter.com/M2OLsnfLSs— 🐝 (@speziaIs) January 20, 2026
Happy for Ethan. This should be a good move for both him and the club. This move may also help Dowman when he’s back from injury so Arteta can give hopefully give him a few late appearances without having to worry about Nwanieri being left out.
I'm curious what the future holds for Ethan. I don't see a clear path to playing time next season unless he kills it at OM and forces his way into the squad. Another loan seems the most likely outcome. After that, say summer 2027, hard to say where the the rest of the squad stands. Odegaard will be 28, Eze will be turning 29, Trossard will be 32, Merino will be turning 31.
He needs to surpass Odegaard in some way. So that means either improving his ball retention significantly or putting up massive expected assists and improving his possession retention. I think he is going to be stronger and better in the duel than Odegaard, but his decision-making is not ready for the level of the squad that it needs to be at. His rotational movement is also lacking, so if we wanted to stack the right for a game he is a downgrade on Odegaard. I don't know that he needs to do well in a g/a sense, he needs to learn how to play the strategic game. He clearly has the talent to play football.
Ethan is 18 It was probably bad for fans to see him play last year because expectations surpassing reality Arsenal and Bayern are interested in this phenom Kennet Eichhorn vs Schalke 0416 years old.[Reupload]pic.twitter.com/KtQNt0m1xt— SIR AHMED (@midopido21) January 20, 2026
What's he going to do here? Run 5k's and get no playing time? Learn to defend? This makes zero sense, but he'll be paid well.
I was going to say something snarky about him doing it against Hertha Berlin, but apparently he's 16, playing for Hertha, and doing this against Schalke. 16 year old who doesn't look out of place in central midfield is kind of nuts.
As long as he gets real minutes. Obviously that's the point of the loan, but I just hope the mercurial De Zerbi or the insane Marseille ultras don't thwart that somehow.
More articles popping up for Arsenal moving in for Julian Alvarez in the summer but I can’t see us paying more than 100
Think this was triggered by and podcast convo between Orny & Clive a day or so ago where Orny said he could see us being interested. I like the idea of have 2 different types of ST as long as the rest of the team can adjust. There is also the fact that Alvarez can play LW very effectively as well, though I think he openly prefers SS/ST.