'Great guy' Ethan Nwaneri is proving Arsenal got huge decision spot on

'Great guy' Ethan Nwaneri is proving Arsenal got club-defining decision spot on Make us your Google favourite Arsenal wonderkid Ethan Nwaneri has enjoyed a successful start to life at Borussia Dortmund . The 19-year-old joined the German giants on loan in a late-window move this summer. One of Dortmund's marquee arrivals, Giannis Konstantelias, ruptured his ACL on opening day of the new Bundesliga season, necessitating the signing of a low-cost replacement. Nwaneri, who was already a target for the Black and Yellow last year, was an obvious choice. The England youth international found himself on the outside looking in at Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta admitting that there would be no point in keeping him without guaranteed minutes. Although reports had suggested that Nwaneri was not keen on another loan move abroad after his disappointing experience at Marseille last season, the prospect of following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho, Jude Bellingham and Jamie Gittens proved alluring. With Konstantelias out at least until the new year, Nwaneri will see plenty of game time at Dortmund, and perhaps even more so after another attacking signing, Konstantinos Karetsas, collapsed during a Champions League clash with Villarreal this week. Nwaneri's positive impact Karetsas' health scare does not appear to be too serious, however. According to his mother, he has been released from hospital, and the early suggestions are that he was simply dehydrated, although further tests are required. Whatever the case, Nwaneri will play a huge role for Dortmund - at least until January, when Arsenal will have the ability to recall the teenager, which would relieve BVB of the need to pay a loan fee. So far, his acclimatisation to life in Germany has gone swimmingly. Manager Niko Kovac, usually a man of few words and very diplomatic, was full of praise for the Arsenal prospect on Thursday: "He has already shown in his two appearances that he can help us," he said. "I am very, very pleased with him. He will be very important for us in the coming weeks and months. He has integrated brilliantly. He is a great guy - very calm, down-to-earth, friendly and helpful - and a very good footballer." Last weekend, Nwaneri set up Dortmund's late winner against Hoffenheim with a cross that Albian Hajdari turned into his own net. He was less impactful after replacing Karetsas against Villarreal, but he won three of his four attempted dribbles and only lost possession once in 55 minutes. Arsenal got it spot on It's very early days, but the decision to send Nwaneri to Dortmund appears to have been a shrewd one by Arsenal, who would have been open to suitable permanent offers for him. Nwaneri has not quite kicked on as expected since becoming the youngest debutant in Premier League history in 2022, but selling him - even for vaunted "pure profit" - would nevertheless have led to some consternation within the fanbase. The teenager remains a hugely exciting talent, and Dortmund, who are trying to rediscover the youth-focused approach that once made them so successful, could be the ideal place for him to unlock his potential. With England U21 teammate Jobe Bellingham by his side, Nwaneri should feel right at home in Germany, even when he eventually hits a rough patch, which is almost inevitable for a player his age. Bellingham endured a tricky first season at Dortmund - and he now looks to be better off for it - so he is perfectly placed to share his experience with Nwaneri and to offer support. Indeed, he seems to have already taken him under his wing. This is ideal for Arsenal because Nwaneri can still become an eminently important player for the club in the future. According to data analytics firm SciSports, the 19-year-old's ceiling remains high despite his tricky 2025/26 season, which slowed down his development. Nwaneri, SciSports believes, can become a significantly better player than any of Arsenal's current attackers with the sole exception of Bukayo Saka, who is ranked as the third-best right-winger in football behind Michael Olise and Lamine Yamal. Loaning rather than selling could therefore turn out to be a club-defining decision for the Gunners. If Nwaneri lives up to his potential, he could have a Saka-esque impact in the future.