Pundit touts Leicester City swap deal with Arsenal involving Nketiah and Dewsbury-Hall | OneFootball

Carlton Palmer has given his verdict on the speculation surrounding Leicester City’s interest in Eddie Nketiah.

According to Football Transfers, the Championship side are keen on signing the forward this summer.

It is understood that the Foxes don’t see the striker’s wages as a problem as they expect Jamie Vardy to move on at the end of the campaign, which will free up space in the books.

The Leicestershire outfit is currently under a registration ban due to alleged financial rule breaches, which will need to be resolved before any pursuit of the 24-year-old can move forward.

Nketiah has struggled for game time at Arsenal this season, with most of his appearances in the top flight coming from the bench.

Palmer believes that the London club’s reported interest in Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could provide a solution for this transfer situation.

He has suggested that a move away from the Gunners would make sense for the striker, and that Dewsbury-Hall’s future could be decided by the Foxes’ pursuit of the Arsenal player.

“It’s reported that Leicester City are keen on signing Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah, the young centre-forward who has got bags and bags of potential,” Palmer told Football League World.

“At Arsenal, the way that they play with just the one striker, [Nketiah] has unfortunately been starved of first team appearances, [he] would be looking to move away from the football club.

Leicester’s midfielder Dewsbury-Hall.

“The 25-year-old midfielder has been instrumental in Leicester’s promotion push this season with 14 goals and 11 assists to his name.

“Dewsbury-Hall is valued at £45 million, Nketiah is valued at £35 million.

“Leicester, though, are in financial trouble, facing losses amounting to £90 million, might be compelled to consider selling Dewsbury-Hall to balance the financial situation.

“Dewsbury-Hall, who has come out and said he would be happy to stay at Leicester City, he loves the football club, but the chance to go and play at the highest level [could be appealing].

“Now this might be the perfect scenario for both clubs, with Nketiah going the other way, but this is a surprising announcement that Leicester are keen on Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah due to their ongoing financial fair play issues.

“But they have lodged an appeal [on their registration ban], so we will have to wait and see the outcome on that.”

Carlton Palmer: Eddie Nketiah is "unbelievable talent"

Palmer also believes that, despite promotion being far from guaranteed just yet, it makes sense for the club to be planning for life in the top flight.

“In the meantime, the manager has to start planning for life in the Premier League, but as it stands at the moment, Ipswich are top of the league, with Leeds in second, so it’s a tussle all the way,” he added.

“Of course, Leicester will be planning for life in the Premier League, and they’ll be looking at the likes of Nketiah, who is an unbelievable talent, he’s just been unlucky that Arsenal haven’t been able to give him the required game time.”

Dewsbury-Hall has been a standout figure for Leicester so far this season, and will be key to their promotion hopes in the coming weeks.

The midfielder came through the club’s academy system, so his sale could also be quite useful in respect to PSR as any fee earned can be put down as pure profit.

Nketiah for Dewsbury-Hall could be solution Leicester needs

Losing Dewsbury-Hall would be a huge blow to Enzo Maresca’s side given his importance to the club.

However, with the number of sides circling and the financial situation at Leicester being so dire, a sale might just have to happen.

In that case, then using him in a swap deal of sorts to bring Nketiah in could be the best path forward.

Nketiah hasn’t quite made it work at Arsenal, but he is a talented young striker that can compete at a Premier League level, so would be a good addition to their attacking options.