Arsenal have no intention to sell Crystal Palace-linked homegrown star Eddie Nketiah in January unless they find a suitable replacement.
Ben Jacobs has claimed that Arsenal have no intention to sell Eddie Nketiah in January despite growing suggestions they could sell the homegrown star. The journalist does concede that in the case they cannot find a replacement striker in the market, their stance to keep the Crystal Palace-linked forward could remain intact.
Arsenal to keep Eddie Nketiah?
Amid rumours of Arsenal willing to sell Eddie Nketiah to raise funds for a new striker, the homegrown attacker did not do any favours after a flat performance against Fulham recently. The academy graduate has attracted plenty of attention from fellow Premier League sides. But he remains focused on his future at the club.
Nketiah is currently Arsenal’s joint-top scorer alongside Bukayo Saka, as the Gunners have struggled for sharp performances in the final third. Considering they have been constantly linked with a new centre-forward, the idea of selling one of the homegrown stars may have crossed Edu Gaspar’s mind, with Nkeltiah firmly on top of that list.
Crystal Palace are interested in Eddie Nketiah, with the Eagles eager to bolster their attacking lineup with a new striker. Arsenal had reportedly turned down an approach from Palace recently, which resonates with what journalist Ben Jacobs claims: They are not planning on selling the homegrown star.
Mikel Arteta reportedly trusts Nketiah to be a part of his squad, although the Englishman is still behind Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order. As things stand, the Gunners plan to keep him unless they find a suitable replacement in the coming weeks.
Are Arsenal in a position to land a new striker?
Arsenal are keen on bolstering their forward line this winter and are looking at some of the favourable options. Ivan Toney remains a target, but his £100 million asking price is a problem. The Brentford striker reportedly prefers the Emirates as his next destination, but any deal is far from certain.
Similarly, there are other options in the market that Arsenal may have explored. But there are suggestions that Arteta may want Toney on priority. The Gunners also triggered David Raya’s loan deal, which could allow them to sign another player from the Bees on a temporary basis.
Hence, they will only sell Nketiah or any other forward if they can find a new one in the market. For now, things look bleak for them financially to land a new striker, which could see them keeping hold of their homegrown stars.