Arsenal are set to benefit financially after Ethan Nwaneri’s loan spell at Marseille didn’t go as planned. Marseille are expected to be hit with a financial penalty due to Nwaneri’s lack of minutes while on loan from Arsenal.
Loan Deal Contingencies
The initial loan agreement between Arsenal and OM in January included a basic loan fee worth around £1.3million plus undisclosed bonuses. These bonuses were centred around Nwaneri’s playing time. The more Nwaneri played, the less Marseille would ultimately pay, with Marseille also covering his salary.
However, the 19-year-old only clocked up 412 minutes from a possible 1710 across all competitions. He was an unused substitute in five of OM’s final six Ligue 1 matches. After replacing Roberto De Zerbi, Marseille head coach Habib Beye publicly questioned the England U21 international’s application in training.
Nwaneri’s Future at Arsenal
Nwaneri is now set to return to Arsenal this summer, though his long-term future at the club remains in doubt. Arteta declared earlier this month that he hoped Nwaneri would “learn” from his demoralising ordeal at the Stade Velodrome.
Fabio Vieira’s Situation
Meanwhile, Bundesliga side Hamburger SV will not be triggering their £19.16m (€22m) option to buy Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira. After a bumpy start in Germany, the 25-year-old played a key role in the club’s push for survival, scoring seven Bundesliga goals and registering five assists. Arsenal’s Fabio Vieira has impressed in Germany while on loan at Hamburg.
He rifled home a brilliant strike on the final day of the season on Saturday in a 1-1 draw away at Bayer Leverkusen. Following the conclusion of the match, Vieira refused to confirm whether he would be returning to Hamburg next season.
Vieira’s Contract and Options
The attacking midfielder, who joined the Gunners from FC Porto in a deal worth up to £35.2million in the summer of 2022, is due to enter the final year of his Arsenal contract this summer. The Premier League leaders are keen to offload him as he does not feature in Mikel Arteta’s ambitious plans.
HSV would like to pay under €10m (£8.7m) to land Vieira permanently but that figure is substantially lower than the value of HSV’s buy-option which was hastily negotiated between the clubs on transfer deacline day in September. Arsenal expect Vieira to attract interest from elsewhere following his eye-catching season and conversations over the player’s future will not take place until after the Champions League final.
Vieira also plans to sit down with his representatives to discuss his options, stating on Saturday: “I have to be open to everything. Let’s see what happens.” When asked if he could envisage staying at Hamburg, he added: “I can’t say that yet. No matter what the future brings, I was very happy here and will be forever grateful to the HSV. The club did everything for me, the support was amazing. I feel the love of the fans and the club. They all love me.”
Vieira’s future remains uncertain, with discussions planned after the Champions League final to determine his next move.