Ethan Nwaneri’s loan move to Borussia Dortmund has finally been confirmed, ending a period of uncertainty after Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hesitated about letting the 19-year-old attacking midfielder leave on loan. According to German newspaper Bild, Arteta required substantial persuasion before agreeing to the temporary transfer. Nwaneri had recently returned from a loan spell with French club Marseille at the start of the summer, and his future with Arsenal remained unclear until the final days of the transfer window. Dortmund’s interest in Nwaneri grew after new signing Giannis Konstantelias suffered a knee injury during a match against Hamburg. This injury created an opening for Nwaneri to secure a regular spot in the starting lineup under head coach Niko Kovac. The deal, however, was not guaranteed until Dortmund’s sporting director, Nils-Ole Book, worked late into the night to maintain communication with Arsenal officials and finalize the agreement. Nwaneri, who came through Arsenal’s Hale End academy, is the youngest player ever to appear in the Premier League. He was still training with the English national team before the World Cup. Dortmund’s coach, Kovac, expressed confidence in Nwaneri’s abilities, noting that he is a very talented player who plays alongside Jobe Bellingham in the England U21 team. Before the deal was confirmed, Nwaneri had a private conversation with Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham, who encouraged him to join the club. Now, Nwaneri is excited about the opportunity to play alongside Bellingham. He could make his Bundesliga debut this weekend when Dortmund faces Hoffenheim. Nwaneri did not play in Arsenal’s first two Premier League matches of the season and was left as an unused substitute in the opener against Coventry. He was also excluded from the squad for the 1-0 victory away to Aston Villa. His last competitive appearance was in mid-April, when he came on as a second-half substitute in Marseille’s 2-0 defeat at Lorient in Ligue 1.