For most Arsenal fans, it feels like Eddie Nketiah has been at the club for a long, long time, without ever really breaking into the first team set up. He has actually been with the Gunners for just six years, joining us at 16 years old after being released by Chelsea.
Once he hit the U18s he was known as a prolific goalscorer, and was quickly promoted to the U23s, where he carried on scoring despite his age, and Arsene Wenger introduced him to the senior side. Fans started to take notice when he came on as a sub in a League Cup game against Norwich and scored both goals and we were excited for his future.
But that promise has never quite materialised. Eddie has continued to be prolific against Smaller sides (i.e. League Cup, Europa League and England U21 qualifiers) but in the League he has managed just 4 goals in 33 appearances, although mostly off the bench.
The superstriker never seems to emerge, but I guess we have to remember he is still only 21 and has rarely had a run in the senior side, but I don’t think fans are as excited about him displacing Aubameyang or Lacazette any more.
So, the rumours today are that West Ham are considering making an offer for Eddie, after selling Hillier to Ajax for 20m, and we could probably do with selling a few youngsters to top up our transfer kitty so any offer should be considered.
Eddie himself may like the idea of playing more regularly for the Hammers and seeing if he can find his mojo at a new club, but how many Gooners think we should refuse any offer and give Nketiah more time to come good for us?
Yes we should
He’s a good lad and works hard. Any sale should have a buy back clause. He will come good from playing more regularly and that move to the hammers will benefit him being another fresh start…
My problem with goner stars is that there seems to be a less amount of discipline in the squad. My take tho
We have to start selling players to get some funds in the team.
Eddie – 25mil
Torriera – 20-25mil
Sokratis+Ozil+Mustafi – 10mil (just get them off the books!!)
Mavroponos – 7-10mil
Use the money to get Buendia
Bring back Guendouzi and sign Balogun on a new deal
its not that easy to sell players in unlike in Fifa21
Nivo I agree with a lot of your analysis but would only change it slightly. I would send Eddie out on a year long loan and keep Mavropanos (having seen him perform for Stuttgart. I would seriously think of adding Belerin to the list and promote AMN. I would also give Pepe one more season to come good regularly. He seems to love the speed of the kids and their imagination. Balogun would make a big mistake if he alows his agent to move him on. He will find out very soon like Helb, Henry, and PV that there is no other club that can compare to The Arsenal.
YES. He is no 4 in the pecking order behind Aubam. Lacazette and Martinelli – and we don’t know how good Balogun is.
Yes even Willock and Nelson please
Only if West Ham offer 20+ M, because he has great work ethic, a homegrown and clicks well with the other academy wonderkids like Smith-Rowe/ Saka/ Maitland-Niles. The problem with the likes of Afobe, Akpom, Lacazette, Nketiah and Balogun is they’re jack-of-all-trades, but master of none
To win a major trophy, Arsenal need various player types who make us able to use different tactics and the ones who’re excellent in duels. Unfortunately the likes of Afobe, Akpom, Lacazette, Nketiah and Balogun aren’t specialists who can be relied upon in one-on-one situation or in aerial duels
Having said that, Nketiah, Balogun and John-Jules have been playing with Smith-Rowe/ Saka/ Maitland-Niles, longer than Lacazette/ Aubameyang with our academy prospects. So we shouldn’t sell the kids for less than 20 M, since Nketiah and Balogun would most likely work better with Smith-Rowe/ Saka/ Maitland-Niles
Sell Eddie keep ballogun so until summer we have auba,lacca,ballogun, martinelle as strikers that’s enough, sell auba and lacca in the summer and invest in young talent, and please stop giving big salaries to 30+ players, we should sell them and get back some money…
Sell him, he is not a man that can save the day like Auba or lacca or giroud at any point in the EPL. he is just one of those average yet overrated English players. We need funds for a CAM to second ESR or replace Ozil.
I like the lad but agree if the right offer was made we should sell, maybe with a sell on clause. If he does reach his potential a bigger club would want him and a slice of that pie would be good.
Tough one. If it means holding on to Balogun then I see the temptation but it’s easy to favour the “new bright shiny thing”
Tempting for the club though as I would guess his transfer fee would be similar to Brewster. Would be pissed though if that fee was used to bring another young striker in.
One of Nketiah or Balogun is likely gone so really depends on who Arteta rates
If he can’t make it at the wing, which he could not in a Europa match against Rapid V. as far as I remember, yes. He is football is neat, he is hardworking but does not have the height to be a 9 for possession team. He needs to gain experience as well.
Ofc buy back clause, percentage on selling, the fee, would make it easier to take the decision.
I really think he needs to change his playing style/position to maximise his potential. He’s got ability, but his game is mostly focussed on scoring goals and he’s not looked good enough in that regard. Might take him a little while to learn it, but I’d consider transitioning to a wing or midfield position if I were him.
If we get offered 25-30 million take it. Seen Balogun a few times but John-Jules looks good too. Martinelli will be the main man though.
He doesn’t fit with the shape that we usually play (a front three) and I think he’d flourish if he had another striker alongside him to feed off of, but not too many teams play with two up front now, so any team that he goes to would be better with a 4-4-2 shape to play to his strengths.
My opinion of course.🤔 But wish him well.
It is also my thought that he could do well with someone who is better at hold-up play.
I never really like seeing one of our youngsters go but it does make sense.
Sell with a buy back option. £20m and buy back £35-40m. Just like Pool did with Brewster.
Nketiah could be the new Shearer or new Jeffers. Time will tell and this way we get money now and yet secure his services if he succeeds.
Except that real top players like Shearer were way, way, above Nketiahs standard at 21 and practically always are, with a TINY few exceptions. Gnabry WAS one of those tiny few but that is not the rule. Your maths are totally unrealistic in any case and will never happen, in either direction.
I would sell Eddie,Afc have Laca,Auba and Martinelli and possibly Balogun as full forwards plus Saka,Nelson,Pepe and Willian on the wings we dont need Eddie.
He is the leading Under 21 England player in History.
I say send him out on load.
I really like the guy and respect his attitude and self confidence but he just hasn’t looked at all capable of becoming a major goalscorer he needs to be with his playing style. He only looks capable of scoring scrappy goals and tap-ins – almost every time he’s been 1-on-1 with a goalkeeper he’s fluffed it, and for someone seen as a goal poacher, that’s not good enough.
His build up play and close control is underrated in my view, but he really needs to be a bit heavier to make the most of it. I think he can be a good EPL player with the right guidance, but not good enough to be standing in the way of some of our other prospects right now. Sorry to say it, but we should sell if we can.
I read we want 30m for Eddie!! No chance!!
If a good enough offer comes in, I wouldn’t object to him being sold and I doubt the board would either!
I thought the hammers were after Giroud?
Yes, please.
With money extremely tight and a real chance to get a proper fee for Nketiah, no matter what any of us thinks, I am very sure that Arsenal WILL let him go, IF West Ham make any sort of serious offer. THAT WOULD BE THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IMO.
Eddie is not the standard we need and thats the bottom line as ever, with all players.
Sell Eddie Nk.. yes. Alas he’s not be cutting it in the first team in Prem League.
I like the idea of a (first refusal) buy-back clause. I’m not as ambitious as some on his valuation though and we do need the money quickly to strengthen so I’d say £15m-ish.. Or we throw Eddie + £20m for Declan Rice.
Eddie isnt pulling up trees in the prem, he is good but not that good and we need better than him to get better. Sell if we get 20 mil.
I have read so many fans saying we should sell Nketiah because Balogun is coming through.
In financial terms it makes sense but to sell because of Balogun, we might one day be on the back of the management.
What if we sell Nketiah and he performs better in EPL than Balogun?
I don’t expect anyone to mention anything about Arsenal board being naive.
Check Nketiah’s record since he arrived from Chelsea. He’s been good but perhaps so off days don’t help matters.
He could end up being a top striker somewhere. I will say send him on loan and give Balogun chance to play.
I dont think selling loaning Nketiah has or should have any bearing on Balagun, they are two completely different situations as far as Arsenal are concerned.
Tough decisions have to be made; how long are we willing to wait for Nketiah to come good? How many other players lose opportunities while we wait on Nketiah?
If West Ham offer good money then I say sell. We have Auba and Laca, we already know Martinelli can deliver, so sell him, club needs the money.
Let’s give the opportunities to Balogun if he extends his contract. If not, perhaps loan Nketiah to West Ham.
Hard worker, but Strikers need to score goals, not just run around a lot.
Sell Nketia for any serious offer above #12m. He has peaked. Use the funds to invest wisely
Tomorrow if possible … he will do no more for the hammers than wilshire did but if they are that desperate then great for us …
Yes we should sell if we can get a reasonable fee.
I can only endorse the views of Davi.