Arsenal find Ethan Nwaneri solution - but there's a Jadon Sancho-sized issue

Updated: 31 Aug 2026 15:59 BST | 4 min read

Ethan Nwaneri, Jadon Sancho, Arsenal — © IMAGO

Tom Weber | Writer

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Borussia Dortmund are mulling over a potential move for Arsenal youngster Ethan Nwaneri, but their former player Jadon Sancho is also being considered.

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The German giants have been plunged into crisis mode despite securing a comfortable victory over Hamburger SV in their opening game of the Bundesliga season on Saturday.

They have spent big on young talent this summer in a bid to rediscover the "Dortmund way" that was so successful in the late 2010s and early 2020s. One of their marquee recruits is Giannis Konstantelias, and he showed plenty of promise after joining from PAOK for €26 million.

Current ETV

Giannis Konstantelias

M, AM (C)

Dortmund

Giannis Konstantelias

M, AM (C)

Dortmund

ETV Range

€15.6M - €19.1M

However, the Greece international suffered an ACL injury against HSV and will now be sidelined until 2027. This has left Dortmund scrambling for another body before the deadline.

With more than €100m shelled out on new signings this summer, the club are not in a position to spend big on a replacement and are forced to consider stopgap solutions. One of them is Nwaneri.

Dortmund want Nwaneri - but does Nwaneri want Dortmund?

According to Sky Germany, Dortmund are pondering a potential loan move for Arsenal wonderkid Nwaneri, who is a long-standing target for the Bundesliga outfit. BVB already explored a deal last year.

FootballTransfers also revealed earlier this summer that Dortmund were still interested, and they are now weighing a potential approach. However, Sky Sports reported earlier this week that the 19-year-old is reluctant to go abroad after his disappointing Marseille loan last season.

It was claimed that Nwaneri is keen to remain in England and that he would only consider leaving Arsenal for an "attractive" Premier League club. The Gunners, on the other hand, want him to get regular minutes and can't guarantee that he will get them if he stays put.

There is also the financial aspect. We understand that Arsenal, although they still rate Nwaneri highly, would ideally like to sell either this summer or next year via a loan with a purchase obligation, with the homegrown representing pure profit.

Whether Dortmund would look to include a permanent element in the loan deal is unclear, but this could become a moot point if Nwaneri turns down a transfer to Germany. A second issue could also complicate the matter.

Nwaneri is far from the only name being considered by the Black and Yellow. According to BILD, Jadon Sancho has yet again come up during internal discussions at the club. The former Dortmund star has been linked with a return on and off all summer.

The 26-year-old is a free agent after leaving Man Utd and is taking his time choosing his next club. There are agreements in principle with several teams across Europe and the Middle East, but Sancho has yet to make a final decision.

It is no secret that a return to Dortmund appeals to the former fan favourite, but the club have concerns over his fitness and overall level after several disappointing years in the Premier League.

Dortmund would only offer him a heavily incentivised contract, and while Sancho is understood to be ready to take a significant pay cut, the nature of the deal the club would propose could cause issues.

At this stage, it is unclear who Dortmund's top target is. The Bundesliga would be a good level for Nwaneri and could appeal to Arsenal as a potential last-minute solution, but several hurdles will have to be overcome before a deal could take shape.