Steven Gerrard believes Ethan Nwaneri will 'become a better player' under Roberto De Zerbi as Arsenal youngster heads to Marseille on loan
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Published 21/01/2026 at 20:46 GMT
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Steven Gerrard believes Arsenal were persuaded to sanction Ethan Nwaneri's loan move to Marseille by the opportunity for the teenager to work under Roberto De Zerbi, insisting the Italian coach will help turn the gifted 18-year-old into an even more exciting prospect. Nwaneri has only made 12 appearances for Arsenal this season but will now benefit from more regular playing time in France.
‘Everyone can be a winner’ – Why Nwaneri’s loan makes sense for Arsenal and Marseille
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Steven Gerrard believes the lure of working alongside Marseille head coach Roberto De Zerbi was a major factor in convincing Arsenal to allow Ethan Nwaneri to be loaned to the Ligue 1 club until the end of the season - and feels the Italian will make the talented 18-year-old "an even better player".
Although Nwaneri committed his future to Arsenal by signing a new contract until 2030 last summer, his pathway into the first team has been complicated by significant summer arrivals.
The £48.5m signing of Noni Madueke and the £67m acquisition of Eberechi Eze have intensified competition in attacking areas.
Nwaneri was unveiled on Wednesday, ahead of Marseille's UEFA Champions League game at home to Liverpool - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - and the player explained his decision to make the temporary switch, which has no obligation to buy attached.
"William Saliba told me that Marseille is one of the best clubs in the world. Roberto De Zerbi is also one of the best coaches in the world," Nwaneri told local journalists in the south of France.
Speaking ahead of the game in the TNT Sports studio, Gerrard has echoed those thoughts on the Italian and believes De Zerbi can be the perfect mentor over the next six months to further aid the winger's development.
"I love seeing it [young players moving abroad]," the former Liverpool midfielder said. "If this works, everyone can be a winner from it, and I think Mikel Arteta is being extremely clever here as he's sending him to De Zerbi, who has a track record for improving players.
"He'll be given more game time, and he'll get the development playing for Marseille. If he can sample experiences like tonight, it will do wonders for his development. He's a top talent, and now he's got to go and get experience.
"This will be great for him, hopefully in the future. From a selfish point of view, Mikel [Arteta] may have wanted to have kept him around the squad as they're going for a Quadruple so they'll need as many bodies around them as possible, but there's got to be a part of you that thinks about the player and where he's going to be in the next four years.
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"The experience he gets from this will make him a better player. Without a doubt, De Zerbi will make him a better player. As a coach, he is box office."
Nwaneri has only made 12 appearances for Arsenal this season, with most of those as a substitute. His four starts - the League Cup games against Port Vale and Brighton, the Champions League trip to Slavia Prague and the FA Cup victory at Portsmouth.
Nwaneri remains the youngest-ever player to have represented Arsenal's senior team and the youngest Premier League appearance maker - aged 15 years and 181 days when he came on against Brentford - on September 18, 2022.
Arsenal have handled his development with care since then, but with the side challenging for major honours on multiple fronts this term, now feels the right time to send him abroad to further his first-team opportunities.
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Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told TNT Sports: "I think it makes sense. He obviously wants to prove himself at Arsenal, ultimately. He sees Arsenal as his future, but he's going to get a great opportunity to go to a club like Marseille.
"You know about the atmosphere there, working with a great coach in Roberto De Zerbi. Arsenal are so focused right now on what they're doing, so they can't really afford to blood youngsters. People need to be playing on merit, and they've got an incredible squad, so it works for everyone."
Nwaneri spent much of last season operating on the right wing, scoring nine goals in 37 appearances in all competitions and underlining his status as one of England’s most promising young talents.
However, with Madueke now the primary deputy to Bukayo Saka and Eze competing with captain Martin Odegaard in the number 10 role, the avenues into Arsenal’s first team have narrowed considerably - making a loan move an appealing solution for all parties.
Stream the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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