Odegaard says he spoke with Ethan Nwaneri before Arsenal teen's loan to Marseille

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard revealed he spoke with 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri before the teenager's loan move to Marseille, writing in his captain’s notes for the official matchday programme ahead of the Champions League clash with Kairat Almaty. Odegaard, who experienced several loan spells during his own development at Real Madrid, said he discussed the psychological and professional challenges of leaving London and shared his own journey to help settle any nerves.

"I went on loan a few times when I was a young player and so I spoke with Ethan before he left about it," he wrote. The captain argued the switch to Ligue 1 makes sense because "at that stage of your career, you need to play games to grow," and described Marseille as a high-pressure environment with a passionate fanbase that can act as a "finishing school" for the creative midfielder.

The move began well for Nwaneri, who scored in Marseille's 3-1 win against Lens at the weekend. Odegaard also highlighted the off-field benefits of moving abroad, noting the challenges of a different country and language and saying such experiences build character. The captain drew on his own background after moving from Norway to Spain as a teenager to underscore that point.

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