Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool are reportedly on alert as Eddie Nketiah stares an uncertain future at Arsenal.
According to a report from 90 min, Arsenal are facing a battle to keep hold of Eddie Nketiah. The attacker has dropped a few excellent performances lately, effectively becoming one of the most in-demand young players in the Premier League. Even Chelsea and Liverpool have joined the race to sign the young forward on a Bosman move this summer.
The report indicates Arsenal retain hopes of convincing Nketiah to sign a new contract that expires at the end of the season. But the player is increasingly likely to leave Emirates as he is keen on exploring other options and joining a club that can offer him guaranteed minutes at the highest level of football.
Nketiah, after all, has featured in a paltry total of just 669 minutes of Premier League football. He has largely played second fiddle to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, and there was no significant increase in game-time even after the departure of Aubameyang in January.
However, in recent weeks, Nketiah has delivered top performances, notably bagging a brace in games against Leeds United and Chelsea. His performances have not gone unnoticed, with Chelsea itself eyeing a summer swoop for the Englishman.
It appears the Blues are targeting Nketiah as a potential alternative for their strike duo of Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner, even though both the players are running the risk of being offloaded at the end of the season. Lukaku, for one, has recently become a target for Real Madrid, among many other top clubs across Europe including Bayern.
Meanwhile, Liverpool are in the market for a new striker in light of Divock Origi’s departure at the end of the season. The Reds have been linked with a move for Turkish international Enes Unal, but someone like Nketiah could be a cost-effective alternative, with the Arsenal star also offering experience in Premier League football.
However, it remains unlikely Nketiah would want to join either Chelsea or Liverpool, knowing neither of these two traditional giants can guarantee regular game-time next season. To that end, the young forward could consider a move to West Ham, who have recently shown the desire to snap him up as an alternative for Michail Antonio.