Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood has heaped praise on Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, claiming he is better than Rasmus Hojlund.
Tottenham Hotspur icon Tim Sherwood has now suggested that Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah would be an upgrade on Manchester United summer signing Rasmus Hojlund if he played for the Red Devils.
The 24-year-old Arsenal striker has been a useful member of the first team, and he has five goals in 14 appearances across all competitions this season. Although Hojlund has not managed to score goals consistently since his move to Manchester United, the Denmark international remains an elite talent and comparing him with Nketiah could prove to be a mistake.
The former Tottenham manager claimed via Daily Mirror that Nketiah is good enough to play in a lot of big teams and he would start for Manchester United ahead of Hojlund. The Arsenal striker recently scored a hat-trick against Sheffield United, and Sherwood believes that he should start regularly for the Gunners alongside Gabriel Jesus.
“I feel sorry for Eddie because people always, even Arsenal fans, always asking questions about him and look at what he can’t do. I like to look at what they can do. He can play in a lot of teams. A lot of big teams.”
“You’re telling me this boy couldn’t play for Man United at the moment, instead of [Rasmus] Hojlund? He’s an upgrade on Hojlund. They spent an awful lot of money on him. For me, he’s top drawer. I think he warrants playing for Arsenal at the top of the Premier League.”
“[Gabriel] Jesus will help him out massively as well. We are always looking for something else and I think we should appreciate what we’ve got in front of our nose. That boy has come through the academy, he has had opportunities to leave, he didn’t want to leave the football club. He’s got a right to stay there and fight for his place.”
“I think Mikel [Arteta] is recognising that the boy really wants to play for the club. He’s put the armband on there today with a match ball under his arm. What a proud moment for him and his family.”
There is no doubt that the Arsenal forward is more developed than the Manchester United attacker. But Hojlund certainly has a higher ceiling and could develop into a top-class forward with coaching and experience.
The 20-year-old joined Manchester United from Atalanta at the start of the season and will need some time to adapt to the new surroundings. Once he adapts to English football, he should be able to establish himself as a key player for Manchester United.
Meanwhile, Nketiah has been a useful backup option to Gabriel Jesus. It will be interesting to see if Arsenal decide to bring in another striker in the coming months. They could certainly use a reliable finisher to compensate for Jesus’ lack of goals. If Nketiah can step up and fill that void in the coming months, he could get ample game time at the Emirates.
