We don’t need to talk about the promise that Eddie Nketiah showed in the Arsenal U18s and U23s, which caused the youngster to be promoted to the Arsenal first team a few years ago. But that promise of being the lethal striker than we needed has sadly not come to fruition, at least not at the highest level.
Yes Eddie is still knocking in goals in the Europa League and Cup games against lower quality opposition, and also for the England U21 side, but his tally in the Premier League stands at 3 goals in 27 appearances for the first team, albeit in only 10 starts and 17 sub appearances.
Many will point out that he needs to play more regularly to get up to speed, but as Arteta has now outlined, he is too far down the pecking order at the moment to get the game time. Arteta told Arsenal.com: “Well, when we’re talking about management, this is one of the hazards to leave someone like Eddie out of the squad, but at the moment everybody has been fit and we have so many options upfront. But it hurts as well because of how Eddie behaves and trains every day and because he’s a player from our academy, but he will have his chance. He needs to be patient and he’s showing no signs of lacking attitude or anything like that, it’s the complete opposite. He’s a joy to work with and he deserves minutes and if he doesn’t get it, it’s just my fault.”
There have been many Arsenal rumours lately that Nketiah could leave this summer in the aim of getting regular football elsewhere, and Arteta admitted that that the 21 year-old needs more minutes, and this needs talk to the player “openly” and decide how to proceed if his career is going to progress. “Yeah, there is because he needs to play and we’ve been wanting to use him a little bit more on some occasions and we didn’t. To be fair, when he’s played, he’s played well, but at his age and for what he’s done the last two or three seasons, he needs more minutes. It’s something we have to talk about openly and make the right decision.”
So, do you think that the “right decision” would be to sell him this summer, or perhaps extend his contract and let him go out on loan again to find his scoring boots again?
That didn’t quite go to plan at Leeds last season, did it?
The club’s always slow when it comes to decision making. I wish Nketiah was sent to Brighton on loan. The kid would be getting chances and scoring over there while increasing his value. Have you seen Brighton’s attemor and chances? The XG of chances they create in each games is crazily ridiculous, they lose to much goals, no better finisher, I can say the goalpost has been the best goalkeeper against them this season
True he would have easily hit double figures!
👍 Might have challenged Arsenal for position if they scored a fraction of the chances created!
Well said. Arsenal should’ve had him out on loan, and ready to sell in the summer. Instead, he warms the bench, his value decreases… another not so great decision by Arsenal and really makes you wonder if there is any real planning done sometimes. It’s possible that there were clubs that wanted Eddie but they pulled out though so won’t be too critical, but Arsenal being slow is such a recurring pattern.
Spot on Eddie.You beat me to the punch.If ever a team needed a finisher, it is Brighton.The logical move to me would be to offer them EN as part of a deal to acquire Bissouma who would be a very good acquisition for us.I really hope Brighton stay up as they play good football and have a very able, unpretentious Manager.
👍
Letz face it D lad is not special but I’ll like to be proved wrong , I think a loan move will be perfect for him
Great attitude but doesn’t have any standout ability…Not searing pace…extreme physicality…fantastic technique nor finishing at the highest level…A player who should be moved on as he has very little to offer Arsenal other than his current value in the transfer market which will only diminish over time…
Eddie is not up to the task he no fit to play for club like arsenal
It was a stupid decision to take him out of Leeds, he was not just don’t great, he was amazing, leaving was a bad decision from him…