Borussia Dortmund have made a loan approach for Arsenal's young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri. The Athletic reports the Bundesliga side's interest in the final days of the summer transfer window.
Nwaneri is 19 and has not made an appearance for the Gunners this season. His manager Mikel Arteta addressed the situation on August 14, stating: "he wants Nwaneri to remain at the club, but that he 'needs to play football', adding that 'certain players' may need to leave this summer." The teenager was absent from the squad for the Community Shield against Manchester City on August 16 and again for their Premier League opener against Aston Villa on Monday.
Ethan Nwaneri is a record-breaking prospect. He made his first-team debut for Arsenal at the age of 15 years, five months and 28 days, becoming the youngest player ever to appear in a Premier League match. He has 51 first-team appearances for the London club in total. During the 2024-25 campaign, he featured 37 times across all competitions, recording nine goals and two assists. Since last summer's pre-season, he has primarily been deployed in the centre of midfield.
To gain further experience, Nwaneri spent the second half of last season on loan at French side Olympique Marseille. He made nine Ligue 1 appearances, starting three of them. During the current pre-season, he featured in all five of Arsenal's fixtures and scored twice.
Dortmund's interest in Nwaneri predates Giannis Konstantelias' anterior cruciate ligament injury. Konstantelias is one of several players currently sidelined for Borussia Dortmund. He is joined on the treatment table by Justin Lerma, Nico Schlotterbeck and Ramy Bensebaini. An overview of the current injury situation is available on our injuries page.
The team under coach Nuri Sahin started the new Bundesliga season with a win and sits in fifth place in the standings with three points. From one game, they have scored two goals and conceded none, giving them a +2 goal difference. The next challenge is an away match against 12th-placed 1899 Hoffenheim on September 5. The full schedule can be found on our fixtures page.
A transfer for Nwaneri to Dortmund is not a foregone conclusion. Arsenal manager Arteta has been clear about his desire to keep the player, while also stressing the need for playing time for the youngster's development. In Arsenal's attacking midfield, established internationals like Martin Odegaard, Eberechi Eze and Bruno Guimaraes represent significant competition for minutes in the centre of the park.
For Borussia Dortmund, Nwaneri would represent squad depth and a long-term prospect. The club must consider whether to pursue a straight loan or a deal with an option to buy. Negotiations between the clubs will determine the outcome in the coming days. The current squad composition can be viewed on our squad page. Dortmund's next competitive fixture is the away match at Hoffenheim on September 5, 2026.
