Arsenal are open to cashing in on Watford target Eddie Nketiah, who is expected to cost around £15 million this summer.
According to Mirror, Arsenal are considering shipping out Eddie Nketiah on a permanent deal away from Emirates this summer. It appears the forward is not a part of Mikel Arteta’s long-term plans, and with his contract expiring at the end of next season, the club fears they may lose him for free in 2022.
As a result, Arsenal could sanction the sale of Nketiah, should any club meet their £15 million demands. Watford are among the clubs interested in his services, having just won promotion after finishing second in the Championship.
The young forward clearly hasn’t had the best of seasons at Emirates, mustering just over 400 minutes of league football. He has failed to win the trust of Mikel Arteta with his performances, even at a time when star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang constantly underperformed.
Watford, nevertheless, still value Nketiah’s abilities, especially when it comes to his work ethic and energy to win back possession. Although Xisco’s men have done incredibly well to win promotion, they do need to add more variety in their attack, rather than just relying on the services of Troy Deeney and Andre Gray.
The addition of someone like Nketiah could make a lot of sense, as the youngster offers the dynamism, pace and aggression going forward. He knows what it’s like to play in the top-flight as well, despite his lack of game-time at Arsenal, who, in turn, may require offensive reinforcements this summer.
Alexandre Lacazette is already tipped for a move away from Emirates, as Arteta prepares for a potential squad overhaul. The number nine department is a particular worry, especially with Aubameyang failing to settle in well under the Spaniard’s tactical philosophy.
The Gunners are reportedly weighing up a move for Moussa Dembele as a potential alternative, but they need to be careful with their transfer activity after last summer’s debacle with Willian and Thomas Partey.
It appears Arteta needs more technical players in his attacking department, which could favour someone like Nketiah. The youngster, though, certainly has a better future at a club like Watford.
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At the end of the day, whether it is academy prodigy Folarin Balogun that steps up to the plate and becomes Arsenal’s next hero, after Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe next season, remains to be seen. For Nketiah, though, time seems to be up at the Emirates.
