Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta slammed over January transfer decision

Perry Groves has criticised Mikel Arteta for agreeing to let Ethan Nwanerileave Arsenal during the January transfer window.

Nwaneri, who became the Premier League’s 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.

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.

That represented a surprisingly small impact from a player who featured heavily last season – making 37 appearances in all competitions – and signed a new contract in the summer.

Nwaneri’s lack of minutes was partly down to Arsenal’s business in the summer transfer window, with Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze both moving to the Emirates Stadium.

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.

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.

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.

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’s domestic and European commitments.

‘The one thing I’ve always said, I couldn’t believe they let Ethan Nwaneri go,’ Groves told talkSPORT.

‘I don’t care, you can’t have too many bodies, even if you’re not giving them game-time and those players are not getting into a squad of 20, who cares? 

‘He can be unhappy, I don’t care if he’s happy or unhappy. I think Nwaneri just wanted to play.

‘We mentioned where he plays, [Martin] Odegaard’s in front of him, [Eberechi] Eze’s in front of him, [Mikel] Merino’s in front of him and he’s like, “I ain’t getting any game-time.” 

‘But they should have said to him, “I don’t care, you’re staying here. ‘[Myles] Lewis-Skelly will be the same.

‘At the end of the season, and the players will know it, there’ll be four or five of them who aren’t going to be there next year.

‘Those two players I’ve mentioned there, they probably won’t be there next season because they’re at a stage where they want to play.

‘They will be thinking, “I’m not going to be third-choice or fourth-choice”. But, you’ve got to be ruthless.’

Following Nwaneri’s move to Marseille, Gunners boss Arteta said: ‘Talented players need to have minutes and Ethan in this case wasn’t having enough minutes.

‘The last thing I want to do is cut his development because he is such a talent.’

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’s Champions League exit.

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.

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