Arsenal in 'advanced talks' to sell Ethan Nwaneri and set asking price

Ethan Nwaneri could leave Arsenal this summer (Picture: Getty)

Arsenal are in ‘advanced talks’ to sell Ethan Nwaneri but would want a buy-back option in any potential deal, according to reports.

Nwaneri remains one of the most highly-rated players in Europe despite a disappointing 2025-26 campaign which ended in a loan move to Marseille .

The midfielder became the youngest player in Premier League history when he made his debut for Arsenal in 2022 , but it was not until the 2024-25 season when he established himself as a regular member of Mikel Arteta ’s first-team squad.

Nwaneri made 37 appearances for his boyhood club that season and was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year award while being rewarded with a new long-term contract.

The 19-year-old was expected to continue to contribute last season but only featured in six league games before being sent on loan to Marseille in January .

Arsenal bosses were confident he would develop in France but Nwaneri only made nine appearances during an underwhelming loan before returning to north London.

Despite failing to make an impact for Marseille, Nwaneri will benefit from his time away from Arsenal and returned ‘looking like a different man’ , according to his manager.

Nwaneri during Arsenal pre-season training (Picture: Getty)

‘On the pitch, he didn’t [work] because a lot happened in Marseille,’ Arteta said after Arsenal beat Girona 4-1 in their first pre-season friendly .

‘But when you just stand in front of him, you sense the maturity and he looks like a different man.

‘The experience on paper, it wasn’t ideal but I think he went through something that is going to help him a lot in his career.’

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta (Picture: Getty)

Despite Arteta’s faith in Nwaneri, reports in Italy claim Arsenal have held talks to offload the teenager during this summer’s transfer window.

Transfer expert Carlo Pellegatti says Arsenal have held ‘advanced talks’ with RB Leipzig over a summer move, while AC Milan have also been in contact.

It is claimed Arsenal would demand between £30m and £35m to sell Nwaneri but insist on a buy-back clause of around £50m.

Bruno Guimaraes is set to join Arsenal (Picture: Getty)

That would give Arsenal a significant cash injection this summer, provide Nwaneri with more regular game-time next season and an opportunity for a return to north London should his career develop as expected.

Nwaneri is already behind the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Martin Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Eberechi Eze and Myles Lewis-Skelly in the midfield pecking order at Arsenal.

Arteta’s midfield ranks is set to get even stronger with Arsenal making progress on a deal for Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes .

Earlier in the summer, Arsenal legend Alan Smith tipped his former club to sell Nwaneri , claiming Arteta ‘doesn’t trust him’.

‘As an academy product, it’s pure profit, isn’t it? And he hasn’t had much of a sniff at all and then went out on loan,’ Smith told BestBettingSites .

‘I think as a manager, as a club, you’re always a bit reluctant to let a talent like that go who you’ve nurtured, but with the financial regulations it could free up money to buy elsewhere.

‘So we’ll see on that. But the player himself might feel that he could do with a move if he feels the gaffer doesn’t really have trust in him.’