Sky Sports have confirmed what was long suspected, Eddie Nketiah will not be extending his contract at Arsenal.
Neither party can reach a compromise.
The club understandably can’t justify offering more than the 17,000 a week he’s on, when his manager sometimes isn’t even including him in his matchday squad.
The striker by all accounts isn’t motivated by money but simply wants to be playing first team football.
Even after scoring in the last two rounds of the Carabao Cup, it hasn’t changed the forward’s standing.
Arteta’s willingness to play a talent in the League Cup who he knows will be elsewhere this time next year, is a reflection on the 22-year old’s attitude.
Our manager isn’t consistent when it comes to those who don’t have a long-term future in North London. Some have been loaned out others have been paid to sit at home. Our boss clearly is content with the player’s attitude in training. Whisper it quietly… he might simply not be good enough. He can no longer hide behind being a rookie.
He’s old enough now to be judged in training if he’s able to meet the standards and principles of the Gunners.
The fact he’s further away than ever from challenging Auba and Laca tells you everything.
That’s not an insult. It’s okay if you’re not suited to this level. I wouldn’t be surprised if he ended up at a midtable club where he does well for himself.
Given our ambition (all what Josh Kroenke said our targets were] we need better then Eddie.
This is going to sound crazy when describing a goal scorer but in 2021 your striker needs to be more than just a poacher, especially if the sole forward. Holding the ball up, linking up with others, pressing, etc are all part of the job specification. Being only good in the penalty area is a skill from the past.
Even regarding that, most goals have been in the cups, when he used to be brought on when we chased games and looked out of place. I say ‘used to’ because moments like moments such as Palace and Brighton, you’re needing a goal and yet someone who sees himself as a natural finisher is watching on his TV.
In January he’s free to talk to clubs abroad while I expect clubs in the UK to call Arsenal’s bluff, sell him at a cut price fee or lose him for nothing. That’s what happens when a player is allowed to run down his contract, something we were promised would never happen again after Ramsey.
He should play against Sunderland but that will have zero bearing about where he is in the pecking order to start in the Prem (or even be a sub).
While Arteta says his preference is for the player to sign a new deal, yet not enough to play him more. It might be the Spaniard yet again being a smart diplomat.
At 22 it’s not healthy to be playing so little football and for his development he needs to move on…
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Dan Smith