Ethan Nwaneri has revealed that England U21 teammate Jobe Bellingham encouraged him to join Borussia Dortmund after completing a season-long loan move from Arsenal.
The 19-year-old quickly agreed to the switch after Dortmund stepped up their interest following the serious ACL injury suffered by summer signing Giannis Konstantelias.
Nwaneri already has experience of leaving Arsenal temporarily after spending the second half of last season with Marseille, and he believes that spell has prepared him for another challenge abroad.
Nwaneri needed little convincing over Dortmund
Once Dortmund made their intentions clear, Nwaneri says negotiations developed rapidly.
“As soon as I heard about BVB's interest and a meeting took place, everything developed very quickly,” he said. “As soon as I learned of their interest, I was ready to leave.”
Bellingham also helped convince him.
The pair know each other from England U21 duty, with Bellingham repeatedly encouraging his international teammate to make the move.
“He kept saying that I should come to BVB,” Nwaneri revealed. “I'm happy that we'll now be playing side by side.”
Arsenal youngster ready for Bundesliga challenge
Nwaneri arrives in Germany having already made 51 senior appearances for Arsenal, after becoming the youngest player in Premier League history at 15 years and 181 days in 2022.
He also scored twice in 11 appearances during his Marseille loan, adding further experience away from English football.
“The first time, you really leave your comfort zone, it's completely new territory,” Nwaneri said. “But now I'm more relaxed, more open, and mentally better prepared.”
The youngster will now compete for opportunities at Dortmund following Konstantelias' injury, but he is making no assumptions about his place in the team.
“I'm here and I'm going to fight for my place,” he said. “I'm going to give it my all.”
Key Points
- Ethan Nwaneri has joined Borussia Dortmund on a season-long loan from Arsenal.
- Jobe Bellingham encouraged his England U21 teammate to make the move.
- Dortmund accelerated their interest following Giannis Konstantelias' ACL injury.
- Nwaneri previously spent the second half of last season on loan at Marseille.
- The 19-year-old could make his Dortmund debut against Hoffenheim.
What’s Next?
Nwaneri will immediately begin competing for minutes in Dortmund's attack, with Konstantelias' long-term absence potentially creating significant opportunities.
His first chance could arrive on Saturday when Dortmund travel to Hoffenheim. A productive season in Germany would give Arsenal another indication of whether Nwaneri is ready for a larger first-team role when he returns.
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