Eddie Nketiah's role at Arsenal now misunderstood as big claim emerges

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·1 November 2023

Eddie Nketiah's role at Arsenal now misunderstood as big claim emerges

Highlights

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has always been "liked" by head coach Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium.
The one-cap England international has the opportunity to lead the Gunners frontline after Gabriel Jesus suffered a muscle injury in their 2-1 Champions League group stage victory at Sevilla last week.
Nketiah made a strong case to be the club's first-choice centre-forward in last weekend's 5-0 Premier League victory over Sheffield United.

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has always been “liked” by head coach Mikel Arteta at the Emirates Stadium, as journalist Paul Brown provides GIVEMESPORT with an internal update on a previous transfer saga.

The Gunners have made a positive start to the Premier League season as they look to secure their first league title in 20 years.

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Nketiah has had to bide his time in north London, waiting for the opportunity for a sustained run in the starting lineup. But following a recent injury to Gabriel Jesus, he may have been afforded that chance as he aims to become the club’s first-choice centre-forward.

Arsenal were dealt a blow following last week’s 2-1 Champions League victory in Sevilla when Jesus was forced off late in the group stage clash with a hamstring injury. The Brazil international was sent for a scan, which revealed a muscle problem that could keep him out of action for the next few weeks. When asked about the exact length of absence for Jesus, Arteta revealed (via the Evening Standard):

“The scan showed there is a muscle injury. We might lose him for a few weeks again. With Gabi, I cannot give you any time frame because he always surprises us. But there is something there. He had quite a [high] load over the last few weeks. It's really bad news for us.”

That means that Arteta will lean on Nketiah to lead the line until Jesus is fit to return to the squad. The one-cap England international certainly staked his claim to be a regular in the starting lineup last weekend, having bagged a hat-trick against Premier League basement boys Sheffield United in a 5-0 victory. The result takes the Gunners to within two points of league leaders Tottenham Hotspur ahead of this weekend’s trip to Newcastle United.

Arteta could also turn to summer signing Kai Havertz to lead the line, whilst Gabriel Martinelli could be utilised down the middle, with Leandro Trossard likely to occupy a place out wide. However, Nketiah’s dominant display against the Blades means a change of heart would be harsh on the £100,000 per-week earner, who could be rested in Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie with West Ham United.

During the summer transfer window, Daily Mirror journalist Ryan Taylor told GIVEMESPORT that Arsenal could have been open to selling Nketiah for the right price. However, the 24-year-old remained at the Emirates following the market’s closure in September.

Paul Brown update – Eddie Nketiah

Brown believes that Arteta has always been a fan of Nketiah and has revealed that the striker came “very close” to leaving Arsenal in 2021. The London-born star had “all but agreed” a move to Crystal Palace but was suddenly thrown into the Gunners team. Brown told GIVEMESPORT:

“I think there's too much focus sometimes on Nketiah because people don't think he's got what it takes to win them a title, but I don't think that's his role. Arsenal aren't relying on Nketiah to be the starting number nine every week. They just need him to score goals when he plays, and, to be quite honest, he's doing that. Arteta has always liked Nketiah. He's always been a big fan of his. The player came very close to leaving Arsenal at one point. He’d all but agreed a move to Crystal Palace but suddenly found himself in the team and scored goals.”

Arsenal transfer news

Despite potentially nailing down a place in Arteta’s side in the coming weeks, Nketiah’s spot in the team could come under threat in January, when the winter transfer window opens. Brown has recently told GIVEMESPORT that Arsenal’s interest in Brentford striker Ivan Toney could be ‘one to watch’ in the new year. The journalist confirmed the 27-year-old was on the Gunners’ radar, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the north London outfit bid for the England international.

Meanwhile, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has recently confirmed Feyenoord and Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez as a transfer target for Arsenal and Tottenham when speaking on his YouTube channel. A fee of €45m (£39m) could be enough to prise the Eredivisie giants to sell the 22-year-old in the new year.

Elsewhere on the continent, TuttoJuve claim that Arsenal are monitoring the situation of Juventus and Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic. However, the Gunners would have to pay an excessive fee, with the 23-year-old under contract until the summer of 2026 at the Allianz Stadium. Therefore, Nketiah must prove to Arteta in the next few weeks that he can lead the line before the winter transfer window opens on 1st January.