Roberto De Zerbi has departed Marseille ‘by mutual consent’ just days after it was reported that he had offered to resign, raising new concerns about Ethan Nwaneri’s loan spell in France and prompting immediate questions for Arsenal.
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The Ligue 1 team announced the decision in a statement that read, “Olympique de Marseille and Roberto De Zerbi, head coach of the first team, have mutually agreed to part ways.
“In discussions involving all stakeholders in the club, including the owner, president, director of football, and coach, it was decided that a change was necessary at the management of the first team. This collective decision was difficult but made after careful consideration for the club’s best interests, aimed at addressing the sporting challenges at the end of the season.
“Olympique de Marseille expresses gratitude to Roberto De Zerbi for his dedication, commitment, professionalism, and seriousness, particularly highlighted by the team’s second-place finish in the 2024/25 season.”
This decision follows a 5-0 defeat against PSG over the weekend, where Nwaneri drew heavy criticism from fans and the media after being substituted at halftime with Marseille already trailing 2-0.
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For Arsenal, the timing of this development is crucial. The club had approved the loan of the young player partly because they believed De Zerbi would be an excellent coach for nurturing his skills.
Reports from England and France suggested that Marseille secured Nwaneri’s loan due to Arsenal’s admiration for De Zerbi’s style of play and his experience with developing young talent. They believed he could provide the teen with valuable playing time in a challenging environment that aligned with Mikel Arteta’s football philosophy.
Now that De Zerbi has left, the confidence that initially influenced this decision has been shaken.