Borussia Dortmund completed a last-minute loan deal for attacking talent Ethan Nwaneri from Arsenal on Monday evening. The 19-year-old left-footer was signed to compensate for the ACL injury to recent signing Giannis Konstantelias, as the club confirmed. Dortmund makes this addition while sitting fifth in the Bundesliga table with three points from one match.
The move was announced shortly before kick-off of the DFB-Pokal match against fifth-tier side HEBC from Hamburg. Played at the Volksparkstadion after a relocation, Dortmund won the rescheduled Monday fixture 5-0 in front of 45,917 spectators, a record crowd for a cup game involving a fifth-division team. Head coach Niko Kovac made seven changes to his starting lineup.
Ethan Nwaneri is a 19-year-old offensive player who holds the record as the youngest ever to appear in the Premier League. He made his debut for Arsenal at 15 years and 181 days old and has since recorded 12 goal involvements in 51 competitive matches. Coach Niko Kovac praised the new arrival after the cup match. "He is a player who can do a lot with his left foot. He is very quick and very tricky," Kovac said.
The coach expressed confidence that Nwaneri is a good addition to the squad. It was initially uncertain whether the Englishman would feature in the upcoming Bundesliga match away at Hoffenheim on Saturday at 15:30. Dortmund faces the team currently 12th in the table. The current injury list, viewable on our injuries page, includes Konstantelias, Justin Lerma, Nico Schlotterbeck, and Ramy Bensebaini.
Another new signing scored the first goal of the season, but the focus was on the team's comprehensive performance. With a halftime score of 4-0, the Bundesliga side easily fulfilled its duty against the lower-league opponent. After the final whistle, players from both teams did a joint lap of honour and posed for a group photo. Kovac was pleased with the day. "I'm really happy, it was a successful day. We are through, the result was secondary," he commented.
The team's record of two goals scored and none conceded from the first league game provides momentum. The full schedule can be checked on our fixtures page.
The loan deal is a direct response to the serious knee injury suffered by Giannis Konstantelias. The Greek midfielder, a recent signing, tore his ACL and is out long-term. Nwaneri is now expected to provide creative options in the attacking midfield zone. His profile as a quick, tricky left-footer fits Kovac's system.
The reinforcement is important for squad planning as the team will be without several key injured players in the coming weeks. The current league standing and further statistics are available on the standings page. Borussia Dortmund's next competitive match is away at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on September 5, 2026.
