Arsenal's Nigerian-born loanee Nwaneri equals Drogba's Ligue 1 milestone

Ethan Nwaneri made an instant impact in France by scoring on his Marseille debut after joining on loan from Arsenal.

The teenager’s goal also saw him match a Ligue 1 feat previously achieved by Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.

Nwaneri opened the scoring in Marseille’s 3-1 win over Lens on Saturday, finding the net in the 13th minute with a curled left-footed finish after cutting in from the right.

The composed strike handed OM early control and underlined why the club moved quickly to secure him on loan in January.

The 18-year-old’s performance was well received, earning a rating of seven from both Get French Football News and L’Équipe.

His debut goal also places him among a select group of January arrivals to score on their first appearance for Marseille, joining the likes of Mario Balotelli, who achieved the same feat in 2019.

Beyond Marseille, Super Eagles eligible-Nwaneri’s debut strike puts him in rare company in Ligue 1 history.

Didier Drogba famously scored on his Guingamp debut in January 2002 after joining from Le Mans, a moment that helped launch a career that later took him to Marseille and eventually Chelsea.

While debut goals after winter moves have produced mixed long-term outcomes, Nwaneri’s early statement suggests he could follow a similarly positive trajectory.

With confidence high and minutes now on offer, the Nigerian-born youngster will be hoping this is just the first of many in Ligue 1.