Arsenal have confirmed that teenage midfielder Ethan Nwaneri has departed on a season-long loan to Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund, with the deal announced on transfer deadline day.

The Premier League champions made the news official through a statement on their website, noting that the 19-year-old will spend the coming season in Germany pending the completion of regulatory processes.

A Hale End graduate making his mark

Nwaneri has been part of the Arsenal setup since the age of eight and signed his first professional contract in March 2024 upon turning 17. Long before that milestone, he had already carved his name into the record books — becoming the youngest player in Premier League history when he came off the bench away to Brentford in September 2022, aged just 15 years and 181 days, a distinction that also made him Arsenal's youngest-ever player across all competitions.

The 2024/25 season marked a genuine breakthrough for the youngster. Nwaneri made 37 appearances across all competitions — 26 in the Premier League and seven in the UEFA Champions League. He opened his goalscoring account for Arsenal in September 2024, netting twice in a 5-1 Carabao Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers, then added his first Premier League goal two months later in a 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest at Emirates Stadium.

Loan experience continues in Germany

This will not be Nwaneri's first taste of football away from Arsenal. He spent the second half of last season on loan with Marseille in the south of France, making 11 appearances in all competitions for the Ligue 1 club. The move to Borussia Dortmund represents a fresh challenge in a new league for the rapidly developing midfielder.

On the international stage, Nwaneri has been a consistent presence in England's youth set-up, representing the Young Lions from Under-16 through to Under-21 level. Across those age groups, he has accumulated 58 caps and scored 27 goals — a remarkable return that underlines his standing as one of English football's most exciting prospects.

Arsenal signed off with warm words for the teenager, stating they look forward to following his continued development during what they described as a valuable spell at Borussia Dortmund.