Former Premier League defender Danny Mills has criticised Eddie Nketiah and his representatives after hearing of his failed move away from Arsenal this summer.
The striker is claimed to have had a move to Crystal Palace break down over agent fees and the player’s wage demands, and now finds himself still in North London after the transfer window has closed, with a wealth of competition for the striker role including Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Folarin Balogun and Gabriel Martinelli.
Alex Crook said on deadline day: “One Premier League chief executive said the problem with the Crystal Palace deal wasn’t Arsenal’s asking price.
“It was the demands of his agent, in terms of agent’s fees, and it was Eddie Nketiah’s wage demands that have priced him out of a move from Arsenal this transfer window.”
Danny Mills has moved to criticise both Nketiah and his advisors after hearing the above report, insisting that he should have taken the move that was offered in order to further his career, claiming he runs the risk of reducing his stock while the last year of his contract runs down.
“He’s daft, that’s what it is,” Mills said live on talkSPORT.
“He’s being badly advised. Sometimes you have to take a step backwards to take two steps forwards.
“You have to back yourself and say: ‘You know what, it’s not really what I want right now, I might have to take a little bit of a cut, but I’m going to go there.
“‘I’m going to go there and score goals, I’m going to show how good I am and then the season after that or the season after that, everyone is going to be coming in after me because I’ve scored 15, 20 goals in the Premier League.
“‘And then Palace aren’t going to be able to keep hold of me because there will be too many clubs in for me’.
“I think that’s very naive, because what will happen is you’ll have this season where you will do absolutely nothing, you end up on a free transfer and everyone is going, ‘well, you’ve not played for a year, you don’t really know what you’re doing’.
“You’re always best to go out and play, no matter what.”
While I think a move would likely have been the best outcome for all, Nketiah may have been told that he is part of Mikel Arteta’s plans which may be why he could have held firm in his stance. The forward was in top form in pre-season before picking up his injury, but he will need to build on that.
Could Nketiah force his way into the Arsenal team this term?