Mikel Arteta sends warning to Arsenal star Ethan Nwaneri over Marseille loan | Football

Mikel Arteta insisted Ethan Nwaneri must ‘respond in the right way’ after having his commitment questioned during his loan spell at Marseille.

The Arsenal academy graduate joined the French side on loan in January after struggling for regular minutes during the first half of the season.

Nwaneri scored on his first appearance for Marseille, but his playing time has been greatly diminished following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi.

The 19-year-old is yet to start a match since Habib Beye’s arrival and has been an unused substitute in two of Marseille’s last three games.

And more recently, Beye has insisted that Nwaneri needs to ‘show us a lot more in his everyday commitment’ if he is to become a regular starter in his side.

Asked about those comments on Friday, Arteta said: ‘I think that’s the coach’s opinion.

‘He’s with him every single day and that’s it. He’s the one making the decision, he’s the one that sees and understands better what he’s doing.’

But Arteta urged Nwaneri to answer those doubts, and said it could be a pivotal part of his career development if he is able to.

‘Ethan has to respond to that in the right way,’ Arteta added. ‘It’s the same place that William Saliba was there, same club. The outcome – let’s see.

‘Maybe it’s the best thing that can happen for Ethan, for his career. Maybe, we don’t know.’

Nwaneri and fellow Hale End academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly both face uncertain futures this summer as a result of limited playing time this season.

Both signed new long-term contracts in recent seasons, but reports suggest Arsenal are willing to cash in on both teenagers in the summer.

Speaking last month, Arteta insinuated that both players – or anyone from the academy more generally – will not receive special treatment once in the first team.

‘At the end what has to define this football club is to seek for excellence and seek for the best, regardless if you’re coming from the academy or abroad,’ he said.

‘If we can have players from Hale End, much better because the identity is there. We grow with them and they know exactly what we’re looking for.

‘But at the end they have to earn it. Not for a week, not for a month, for years. Like anybody else, it doesn’t matter what department or role you have in the club.

‘You have to sustain performance and that has to be at the very highest level if we want to win and be where we want to be.’

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