A last-ditch attempt to get Eddie Nketiah to stay at Arsenal has failed with The Athletic reporting that the striker has rejected a new contract offer.
The 22-year-old will be out of contract in the summer and seems intent on testing himself in pastures new having struggled for minutes at the Emirates since breaking into Arsene Wenger’s first team as an 18-year-old.
While Mikel Arteta made a point of reintegrating Nketiah after a spell on loan at Leeds went sour, the striker hasn’t done enough to prove he’s capable of taking over from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alex Lacazette next year and the contract offer seemed more geared towards protecting his value in the transfer market.
That’s not to say that Nketiah doesn’t have a bright future ahead. His impressive record at Academy level, his incredible form for England under-21s and 15 goals in 67 appearances at senior level is evidence he has the raw ingredients to succeed at the top level.
Unsurprisingly, a host of clubs are said to be interested including Borussia Moenchengladbach, Nice and several in Italy. He has previously been linked with West Ham United and Crystal Palace. If he joins an English club, we’ll most likely be due some compensation for raising him through our system. The tribunal process takes into account a number of factors, including how he was valued by his current club, and a contract offer – even if we know he’s going to reject it – may play into that.
Nketiah will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs in January. We suspect if he does that, he may well be confined to the bench for the rest of the season, even with Aubameyang heading off to the AFCON in the new year.
The long-term belongs to Gabriel Martinelli and Folarin Balogun while an attacking signing next summer looks very likely.
Definitely don’t want to waste playing time on him if he will be leaving at the expense of players like Martinelli that will be here.
When Arteta was asked why Balogoun was not playing, he said something like: “Eddie is ahead of him. We need to treat people right”.
No surprise. His goal celebration always makes me think he’s calling his agent to see if anyone is interested in buying him. Wish him well at his new club – unless of course it’s Tottenham in which case I hope he spectacularly contributes to a traumatic and financially ruinous relegation. The bottom line is if Eddie wasn’t our player we wouldn’t really be interested in signing him.
Hahaha exactly my thought. I’m like what is this cartoon doing
It’s a shame we couldn’t get a few million for him in the summer. Wish him well but would never be good enough for The Arsenal me thinks.
Should have taken the deal from crystal palace this summer, think it was £12m? Poor business to rely on him signing an extension with not even a full season before contract expires. When will we learn? Some will say it’s good we didn’t get rid for that low of an offer and that we’re finally standing up for ourselves by not letting our players/prospects go for cheap when teams (Liverpool and Chelsea) are selling players like Rhian Brewster for £23m. But it’s a depressed market now and you should take what you can get when you leave it late to… Read more »
And he’ll probably still end up at palace for a bigger signing on fee.
I honestly don’t think that’s the case anymore, i think the days of players like Nketiah taking advantage of big signing on fee’s are over.
One of the reason’s we have struggled to off load players is because clubs have become far more discerning and don’t want to pay big wages. Look how difficult it is for Wilshere to find a club.
My guess is Nketiah will get a bit of a shock when he he starts talking with other clubs about what his actual financial value is on the open market.
What a facetious comment. Why not do a little more digging and discover that Crystal Palace abandoned their pursuit of Nketiah because of the striker’s wage demands and agent’s fees, rather than picking up the nearest stick and doing the usual? Have you not noticed that players running down their contracts is, as Wenger predicted, a common practice now, as the player holds all the power? We are not the only club with players running down their contracts. And finally, was the market not depressed already in summer 2020, when the pandemic had wiped out streams of revenue for clubs?
Spot on reply mate
I think sometimes it bites us that we give the young players such a good opportunity within the first team. Nketiah, despite his efforts at U21 international level, is kind of a known quantity at this point. Obviously there’s still a very real and good possibility he’ll improve, but there’s a perception that because he’s had a lot of appearances in the 1st XI that maybe his ceiling isn’t that high as he’s not done an awful amount. Whereas someone like Brewster or Guehi (who’s actually been great for Palace but same argument applies) had barely played senior football, so… Read more »
good points. I’m wondering if we could flog Rob Holding off to Newcastle in January for a tidy sum.
If anyone is going to get flogged off to Newcastle should be Mari.
I’m not sure people have really understood the scale of financial power that the new owners have. If Newcastle buy anyone in January, it will presumably be very good players who will receive very high wages to compensate for being in a relegation battle. They are more likely to buy someone like Varane than Holding.
Fascinating to see who we bring in up front in the summer. If we scrape 4th we might be in with a shout of getting a top player.
Strange we didn’t accept palace’s bid for Eddie, made a lot of sense to me. Maybe he didn’t want to go so he had more options.
I don’t think we didn’t accept it. Palace went another way to sign edouard, who they found more suitable.
It was reported we rejected a 12mil bid and holding out for more. But who really knows.
It was also reported clubs agreed fee but nketia wanted more money
Exactly – players dictate the terms these days. Eddie is being smart; it’s just unfortunate that isn’t in Arsenal’s best interests, too.
His “Smartness” will see him join a club like Fulham where he will get less than palace offered 😂
Eddie and his agent didn’t agree to terms, the club and Palace agreed to the transfer fees. Eddie and his agent are looking for a bigger pay day.
He’s a good poacher though not up to scratch yet in other ways. Could be an Ian Wright, late developer, let’s see.
I’m not sure he’s even that good of a poacher at senior level.. Even when he scores it never looks that convincing. Just get the feeling he’s not quite got that instinct, which he needs given how limited he is in most ways.
As others say, wish him well, but it’s been apparent for a while we’re still waiting on that home-grown striker to come through. Next up; Balogun..
With Lacazette leaving, Auba struggling for form and Arteta seemingly not trusting Martinelli or Balogun in the CF role just yet, I think there’s actually scope for Eddie to claim a spot in the side in the next year or so. The fact that Arteta has been willing to play two strikers would also probably benefit Eddie. But it’s also very understandable if he wants to leave now in order to get more first team football. Only shame is that we didn’t get a fee for a young English talent with a goal scoring record at the highest level. More… Read more »
I think it’s good Eddie is forcing the club’s hand. I’d rather see Martinelli -hopefully he can get past the fitness hiccups- and Flo get the shot. From the admittedly little I’ve seen, I think Flo offers more than Eddie on and off the ball and physically.
Should have been the priority 1-2 summers back. We had them both then and it was clear they had talent and all (eddie too) were still behind Laca and Auba.
I think it would have seemed rash to let him go 2 seasons ago – he was only 20yo or so and had been up-and-coming – plus couldn’t have anticipated that we’d be out of Europe – if we were in Europe all three of the young lads would be getting game time and continuing to develop
That’s all well and good, but he shouldn’t be leaving for free. Liverpool got £20m for Dominic Solanke…
Thought he will buff up over the years, similar to Nelson, I think the major problem is physicality.
Always thought we could keep him on the bench, and put him on as a super sub to chase or win games. That is if he stays with us.
If not, he will probably do better in other league. At the moment, I don’t think any team in the league will put him in their first team.
From the outside looking in, I think the major problem is attitude….maybe he thinks he’s better than he is and should be given more chances… compare him with Martinelli who keeps his head down and gets on with training and taking his chances when they arise…..ultimately for me. Eddie’s just not good enough for The Arsenal, but good luck to him wherever he ends up….
he could not get past Bamford over at Leeds
Can see
him following joe and going to Newcastle, if they offer him a higher wage than most but only pay a smallish amount in compensation in comparison to buying abroad it might get them round some ffp stuff.
Perhaps, in the short term, but I also think the new ownership there is going to set their sights a bit higher. And their new manager is going to want some serious off the ball contributions.
Would he want to play in the Championship though?
I don’t blame him for wanting to go, but it’s annoying that, yet again, we will be letting a player leave for free.
Its the dying essence of what was. Finally moving on all those who were not our future. Some we will sell some we missed our chance by not extending years before. Cest la vie.
May it not continue and lets hope Edu and Galrick have learnt from past mistakes
Your 100% right. It’s not good player/asset management. Eddie is a solid player, we should have sold him 1-2 summers ago for a pretty decent fee when it was painfully clear he wasn’t going to be our priority moving forward and Martinelli and Balogun waiting in the wings. We’re terrible sellers in the transfer market, and that might be putting kindly. For every Iwobi sale there are 5 Mustafi/Mihki/Papa/Ozil/Ramsey/Szczesny/Eddie/Lucas Torreira or Perez/Gnabry/Bennacer/[Laca?]/[Pepe?]types that we fail miserably on.
Come through the Arsenal ranks but not good enough for us I’m afraid m, only sorry we didn’t get a few quid for him.
Not good enough
Was at that Norwich game when he scored the 2 goals so always had a soft spot for Eddie, wish him all the best and hope he goes on to have a great career
With Laca likely leaving and Auba coming to the end of his playing days, you have to question his intelligence with spots opening up in the team that’s on cusp of very big things.
I suspect he would remain in the position he’s in now if we acquire replacements for Laca and Auba though 🙁 hope he finds a club where gets to play regularly and develop into a potent striker – don’t think that’s with us unfortunately, especially with Gabi and Flo looking to pounce on any opportunity
I wonder why Arteta would want to give him a new contract?
He has not progressed as expected. A Championship team or a lower EPL team could take a punt on him.
He might come good, but I have my doubts.
Good luck to him. Good lad but Ive never seen much that would help him fit in with us. Watch this space though because say he moves to a Leeds or Brighton or Everton or such…I reckon he’ll have at least a couple years banging them in getting close to the top boys.
Remember, he was at Leeds on loan, and Bielsa hardly played him
Yeh but Leeds brought him in purely as cover, not to help develop him.
In the end they didnt really need his cover. You dont play 6mnth loaners unless you have to.
Good riddance
Bit harsh. I don’t think he has the quality have ever made it at Arsenal but I’m not sure what he’s done to deserve “good riddance”.
Just a young lad who wants to make the best move for his career, who can begrudge him that
Good. He’s not a signing we need
Summer?steal vhovic,excuse my spelling,in January before anyone notices please please please Edu,bring us back to the top next year….hears hoping
Glorified Francis Jeffers. Glad to see the back of him.
😄
I know he’s not set the world alight but I think he has looked sharp when he has played since preseason. I’d have liked him to have stayed as I think he could become very good indeed. I’m quite sure he’ll end up being the starting striker at a premier league club. Someone like Brighton or Brentford should come in for him. He’d suit both.
He’s one of these players I don’t feel we managed his development well – one loan spell in all his time with us? I know the likes of him and Reiss Nelson got some experience playing in the EL but seemed like they were treated as squad members before they’d really earned their stripes anywhere.
And how would you have managed his development, Einstein?
Sounds like he’s suggesting to have loaned him out more?
Time to give pepe a genuine run out as a striker.
I agree
I’m not fussed he wants pastures new. Good luck to him.
What happened to getting more cut throat with contracts? He should have been told last summer to sign a contract or prepare to be sold then and there. He were go again letting an asset go for free. Seriously it’s not that hard. Sign or be sold. Easy.
The club tried to sign him and reached a deal with Palace. It’s reported that he and his agent wanted too much and couldn’t agree personal terms so the interested parties stepped away from him. It’ll be interesting to see where he ends up, he’s not that great.
You seem to have a fundamental misunderstanding of how transfers work. As pointed out by Vonnie, the player has to agree to the terms offered by the buying club. You can’t just sell a player against his will to whomever you want.
When it comes to replacing Laca (and eventually Aubameyang) we should be looking at continuous improvement (or at least as good as).
On that basis Eddie is not up to the mark, so we should try to cash in on him in January.
I do wonder about the strategy of his agents. Obviously signing up Balogun makes their clients rivals with contracts, which most likely would end around the same time too.
However it would have been better for Eddie to focus on his career by going out on loan and allowing Balogun to get some cup games in order to boost his profile ahead of a move to League 1 or Championship and be a proper consideration for a regular starter
Having Balogun and Eddie both sitting on the bench isn’t doing anyone any good. And both out on loan doesn’t help us either.
I’m surprised Eddie wasn’t sold or at least loaned out.
Personally I feel Balogun ability to run directly at defenders makes him a better fit than Eddie in this system.
And it is clear that without goals, Mikel isn’t going to pick him over Auba and definitely not alongside, as he doesn’t have any assists either
When I think of edddy, I remember the greatest player that never was , although an advanced version of Nicholas Bendtner