Premier League promotion hopefuls Leicester City will reportedly compete with Crystal Palace for 24-year-old Arsenal attacker Eddie Nketiah.
According to a report by Football Transfers, Eddie Nketiah is the subject of interest from Leicester City. The Premier League promotion hopefuls are keen on signing a striker in the summer transfer window. But the Foxes will face competition from Crystal Palace and Brentford for the 24-year-old Arsenal attacker.
Eddie Nketiah and his role as a backup
Eddie Nketiah has had to remain patient since graduating to the first-team squad from Arsenal’s fabled Hale End youth division. The English international made his first-team debut for the North London club as an 18-year-old in September 2017 but had to wait until the 2020/21 season to rise in prominence.
Since then, the 24-year-old has been a handy backup option but has never been the undisputed first-choice striker for Arsenal. That has also been the case this season, with Nketiah managing less than 1,500 minutes of game time across 34 appearances in all competitions, chipping in with six goals and three assists.
Nketiah’s long-term Arsenal future is uncertain heading into the summer transfer window due to his dwindling game time. So, a departure from the Emirates might be on the cards, with Crystal Palace and Premier League promotion hopefuls Leicester City among the prospective suitors for the Englishman.
Move across England on the cards?
Crystal Palace’s interest in Eddie Nketiah is understandable. The Eagles have struggled for goals for several seasons, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard struggling to stamp their authority in the final third. The Arsenal homegrown player has thus emerged as a viable target for Crystal Palace.
As for Leicester City, Jamie Vardy is in the twilight of his career and will barely feature next season. Meanwhile, Patson Daka and Kelechi Iheanacho have blown hot and cold this season and will not be reliable performers in the final third. Nketiah is thus an option worth considering due to his experience in the Premier League.
Arsenal can make a “pure profit” from Eddie Nketiah’s sale in the summer transfer window. So, it will not be surprising to see the North London club cashing in on the 24-year-old homegrown player in the summer transfer window amid interest from Leicester City and Crystal Palace.
