{"id":2971,"date":"2026-03-10T00:55:56","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T00:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2971"},"modified":"2026-03-10T00:55:56","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T00:55:56","slug":"arsenal-boss-mikel-arteta-slammed-over-january-transfer-decision-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news678.top\/?p=2971","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta slammed over January transfer decision | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Perry Groves has criticised Mikel Arteta for agreeing to let Ethan Nwanerileave Arsenal during the January transfer window.<\/p>\n

Nwaneri, who became the Premier League\u2019s youngest ever player when he made his Arsenal first-team debut at the age of 15, was sent on loan to Marseille for the rest of the season.<\/p>\n

The 18-year-old only made 12 appearances for the Gunners in the first-half of the season and did not start a single Premier League game.<\/p>\n

That represented a surprisingly small impact from a player who featured heavily last season \u2013 making 37 appearances in all competitions \u2013 and signed a new contract in the summer.<\/p>\n

Nwaneri\u2019s lack of minutes was partly down to Arsenal\u2019s business in the summer transfer window, with Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze both moving to the Emirates Stadium.<\/p>\n

The teenage midfielder was still not expected to go out on loan but the prospect of more game-time at an elite European club promoted Nwaneri to push for a move.<\/p>\n

Nwaneri enjoyed a dream start to his spell at Marseille, scoring on his debut and being hailed by then-manager Roberto De Zerbi, but he has struggled to make an impact since then.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\"Olympique\t<\/div>
Arsenal loaned Ethan Nwaneri to Marseille (Picture: Getty)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Former Arsenal winger Groves understands why the England U21 star was keen to go out on loan but believes it was a mistake for the club to sanction it.<\/p>\n

The Gunners are still competing for all four trophies going into the business end of the season and Groves says an extra body would be no bad thing for Arteta as he juggles Arsenal\u2019s domestic and European commitments.<\/p>\n

\u2018The one thing I\u2019ve always said, I couldn\u2019t believe they let Ethan Nwaneri go,\u2019 Groves told talkSPORT.<\/p>\n

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\u2018I don\u2019t care, you can\u2019t have too many bodies, even if you\u2019re not giving them game-time and those players are not getting into a squad of 20, who cares?\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018He can be unhappy, I don\u2019t care if he\u2019s happy or unhappy. I think Nwaneri just wanted to play.<\/p>\n

\u2018We mentioned where he plays, [Martin] Odegaard\u2019s in front of him, [Eberechi] Eze\u2019s in front of him, [Mikel] Merino\u2019s in front of him and he\u2019s like, \u201cI\u00a0ain\u2019t\u00a0getting any game-time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018But they should have said to him, \u201cI don\u2019t care, you\u2019re staying here. \u2018[Myles] Lewis-Skelly\u00a0will\u00a0be the same.<\/p>\n

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\u2018At the end of the season, and the players will know it, there\u2019ll be four or five of them who aren\u2019t going to be there next year.<\/p>\n

\u2018Those two players\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0mentioned there, they\u00a0probably\u00a0won\u2019t\u00a0be\u00a0there\u00a0next season because\u00a0they\u2019re\u00a0at a stage where they want to play.<\/p>\n

\u2018They will be thinking, \u201cI\u2019m not going to be third-choice or\u00a0fourth-choice\u201d.\u00a0But,\u00a0you\u2019ve got to be ruthless.\u2019<\/p>\n

Following Nwaneri\u2019s move to Marseille, Gunners boss Arteta said: \u2018Talented players need to have minutes and Ethan in this case wasn\u2019t having enough minutes.<\/p>\n

\u2018The last thing I want to do is cut his development because he is such a talent.\u2019<\/p>\n

Arteta was keen for Nwaneri to develop under ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi but he agreed to leave Marseille last month after the club\u2019s Champions League exit.<\/p>\n

Premier League leaders Arsenal put their title aspirations on hold this week as they face Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.<\/p>\n

For more stories like this,\u00a0check our sport page<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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