Crystal Palace and Arsenal are locked in negotiations for Eddie Nketiah who appears to be ready for a fresh challenge.
According to Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur on Twitter, Crystal Palace are keen on landing Arsenal youngster Eddie Nketiah this summer.
The 22-year-old was initially a Chelsea youth product before moving to Arsenal in 2015. He has since made 65 appearances for the club, scoring 13 goals and assisting one more.
The Gunners have brought in several players this summer and are coming the back of a rather difficult season. However, Mikel Arteta’s side has failed to improve and is currently at the bottom of the English Premier League, though the Gunners remain interested in undergoing a squad overhaul.
Nketiah refused to sign a five-year deal with Arsenal earlier this year and has entered the final 12 years of his contract with the club. Not the most prolific of strikers, he has also failed to make the most of the opportunities afforded to him.
A move to Selhurst Park would be a welcome change given the Eagles’ lack of a dependable frontman. Patrick Vieira’s side boasts three strikers in Christian Benteke, Jordan Ayew and Jean-Philippe Mateta (on loan). While they make up the numbers, their ability to consistently find the back of the net is suspect.
While Nketiah is unlikely to move to Palace as their ace striker, he will be a new option to use in the long term. The player, for his part, is open to making the switch to Selhurst Park.
Alongside Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Marc Guehi, Nketiah could form the spine of an exciting young Palace side that could go from strength to strength. At the very least, he will be a decent replacement for Mateta, who has done precious little to suggest his loan deal should be made permanent.
Arsenal being locked in negotiations could suggest that the Gunners are open to selling the player. Arteta already has the talented Gabriel Martinelli in his ranks, while Folarin Balogun remains a good prospect. Losing Nketiah appears acceptable given the options already at the club.
The Gunners currently have an ageing frontline in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. Neither player has a reasonable good resale value and will need to be moved on sooner rather than later.
Bringing in around £12m for the youngster is good business for the Gunners and will give them some financial leverage to reinvest in the squad. Time will tell whether it is the right decision or not.
Palace, meanwhile, are also interested in Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard. Given the time left in the window, it could very well be a race to see which one of the two strikers they can land first.
