Arsenal send Nwaneri to Borussia Dortmund on loan but block option-to-buy clause

Arsenal have agreed to send teenage winger Ethan Nwaneri to Borussia Dortmund on a season-long loan, but the Gunners rejected the German club’s request for an option to buy at the end of the campaign, according to The Athletic.

Nwaneri, who had been omitted from Arsenal’s squad for their Community Shield victory over Manchester City and their 1-0 Premier League win against Aston Villa, was clearly operating on the fringes of Mikel Arteta’s plans. He had also been an unused substitute in the win over Coventry City in their opening league fixture.

Dortmund’s interest in the 18-year-old was partly accelerated by the anterior cruciate ligament injury sustained by new signing Giannis Konstantelias, who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines. However, the Bundesliga club had been tracking Nwaneri for some time before that setback.

Arteta had signalled earlier in the summer that a departure was possible, given the depth of attacking options at the Emirates. “I want him to be at the club,” the Arsenal manager said. “But something is in the medium and long term what is the best for the player as well. Ethan needs to play football. If he stays here, it’s because we can guarantee that he can have those minutes. Otherwise, it’s just something that is not good for anybody, I think.”

This will be Nwaneri’s second consecutive loan spell. He spent the second half of last season at Marseille in France, having failed to start a single Premier League game for Arsenal throughout the campaign.

Arsenal’s attacking depth gives Arteta considerable options but also selection dilemmas. Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, and Christos Tzolis all started against Aston Villa on Monday, with Eberechi Eze coming off the bench and Viktor Gyokeres and Noni Madueke unused substitutes.

The club is also set to lose Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus from their forward line, with both players expected to move on. Meanwhile, fellow academy product Myles Lewis-Skelly, who had been linked with a move away at one point this summer, has remained at Arsenal and established himself as a regular in midfield.