Arsenal teenager Ethan Nwaneri is travelling to Germany to complete a medical with Borussia Dortmund, ending any prospect of a loan move to Fulham in the process. The deal, first reported by transfers expert David Ornstein, is a straight loan with no option to purchase.

Konstantelias injury opens the door

Dortmund's pursuit of the 19-year-old predates the summer signing of Greek attacker Giannis Konstantelias, but the injury suffered by Konstantelias has sharply accelerated proceedings. The Greek winger tore his anterior cruciate ligament on his Bundesliga debut against Hamburger SV — a match in which he also scored Dortmund's second goal with a composed right-footed finish from inside the box. Dortmund won that game 2-0.

With Konstantelias facing an extended spell on the sidelines, Dortmund contacted Arsenal to make Nwaneri a priority signing. A loan agreement was swiftly reached.

Fulham option off the table

Nwaneri had been weighing up a Premier League loan with Fulham, preferring to remain in England. That option has now been taken off the table entirely, with the youngster instead bound for the Bundesliga.

He was absent from Arsenal's squad for the 3-0 Community Shield victory over Manchester City in pre-season — an omission that came alongside Gabriel Martinelli's, who has since completed a move to Saudi Arabia.

Building on his Marseille spell

The second half of the 2025/26 season saw Nwaneri spend time on loan at Marseille in Ligue 1, where he registered two goals and one assist across nine appearances. He will now look to build on that experience at one of Europe's most storied clubs.

There is a familiar flavour to the destination: Nwaneri scored against Dortmund for Arsenal during a pre-season Emirates Cup tie — a match the Gunners lost 3-2 — and also converted his spot-kick in the subsequent penalty shootout.

A career at a crossroads

Nwaneri made history in 2022 when he appeared for Arsenal in the Premier League aged just 15, becoming one of the youngest players ever to feature for the club. In the years since, however, he has struggled to force his way into a side that has mounted serious title challenges in four straight seasons.

His overall record for Arsenal stands at 51 appearances, 10 goals, and two assists. Manager Mikel Arteta admitted in August that he would prefer the youngster to stay, but acknowledged the need for him to receive consistent minutes elsewhere.

Arsenal ultimately opted against a permanent sale, settling on a loan instead. Should Nwaneri flourish at Dortmund, both a place in Arteta's first-team plans and a potential sale will be on the table when he returns to north London.