Arsenal midfielder Ethan Nwaneri has joined German club Borussia Dortmund on a temporary loan deal.
The Premier League club blocked Dortmund’s request for a purchase option to ensure the young prospect remains an Arsenal player long-term.
Under the terms of the agreement, the Bundesliga side will pay the entirety of the player’s wages.
To safeguard his development, Arsenal also secured an unconditional January recall clause that can be activated at any time during the window.
Dortmund launched a formal offer to sign Nwaneri after new signing Giannis Konstantelias suffered a serious knee injury.
Nwaneri previously spent the second half of last season on loan with French club Marseille, scoring twice in nine appearances.
His spell in France was complicated by the departure of head coach Roberto De Zerbi, who left Marseille shortly after the midfielder arrived.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has prioritized more experienced squad options, which made a temporary switch the best path for his growth.
Speaking on the teenager’s situation, Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta stated, “Ethan needs to play football,” according to CBS Sports.
Arteta further explained the risk of keeping him on the bench, stating, “Otherwise, it’s just something that is not good for anybody, I think.”