Mikel Arteta was full of praise for Eddie Nketiah after he scored twice in Arsenal’s 3-0 win over Oxford United in the FA Cup on Monday evening.
The 23 year old notched his third and fourth goals in four games since being called upon to replace the injured Gabriel Jesus, and moved his season tally to seven, level with Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka for the season.
Considering how much less he has played than them, it’s a great return and the Arsenal boss was quick to highlight his contribution when asked.
Speaking about his finishes, he said, “He showed great composure. He is a great finisher and the timing of his runs as well.
“The decision making to wait to the last moment shows his quality. It’s not only that – his understanding, his work rate I think is getting better and better. And I’m really happy with him.”
However, depth is an issue, and it still sounds as if Jesus has some way to go before he makes a return.
“The problem is we have only one [striker]!”, continued Arteta.
“To go for that many months til Jesus is back is not easy. But we have to get the most out of the players that we have at the moment and if we can have some reinforcements, great.”
Arsenal continue their pursuit of Shakhtar Donetsk winger Mykhaylo Mudryk, but interest in Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix looks like it’s over after Chelsea agreed to pay everything the La Liga side wanted.
That €20m outlay for five months is a massive outlay for a player who has been underwhelming in Madrid, and it now remains to be seen if the Gunners have other irons in the fire before the close of the transfer window.
Two days ago I thought Felix was mustard, now I think he’s shite and suits Chelsea… fickle us football fans eh
Ha. Yeah I found myself thinking he is too lightweight for the prem. When I read that a couple of weeks ago and we were linked I thought he’d probably muscle up. The mind is a powerful thing.
I mean, the boys obviously talented. But if a luxury signing for a mid table prem team though. .
Great chance for us to get Auba back!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had to talk myself into thinking he was good, when we were rumoured to be after him.
I’ve never understood the hype.
I still think he’s a good player but he’s not the type that Chelsea really need and I doubt he’ll succeed there, given their various issues.
I said this on another post, but I think it fits here. Felix was completely unconvincing against Barca, very unlike his impressive performances for Portugal in the World Cup. It might be Simeone (either his system or his nastiness), but it does not look to me that Felix is the sort of player who can immediately adapt to the Premier League and help Chelsea this season. I don’t think he would have been a huge help to us either. (If we were 10 points ahead of Man City, then it would have been worth taking the chance, even if it’s… Read more »
Pretty hilarious what’s happening at Chelsea.
Who will we get up front is the question though? Assuming Mudryk is a winger reinforcement? We definitely need another one aside from him.
Difficult market to get value in though
Yes. Mudryk doesn’t appear to be quite as certain to join us as he was with Chelsea interested in him as well. Even if he arrives at The Emirates, I don’t see – like you – how that will be sufficient. Who is available to us will depend upon the balance of quality and price – and the two go very closely together in a sellers market, which this is. Edu will probably have to be on top form to pull good signings out of his hat this time. That said, it seems we have made one signing according to… Read more »
I think it’s a matter of time before we get mudryk tbh. The Chelsea stuff was just them trying to get the price up. A bit like rumours last Jan with us for Vlahovic.
Are you crazy,all hes done is say and hint continuesly saying that it’s arsenal or nobody
Mudryk is a goal machine and I cannot wait to see him play in red and white
I’d like to take this opportunity to say that the way Chelsea are handling their recruitment under Boehly (or whatever his shit cunt name is) is just so classy. Chelsea are a classy club owned by a classy guy who does classy transfers.
Arteta is quite right. We really do need reinforcements in this window. It’s possible that Mudryk may not now arrive as Chelsea are reported to be interested in him as well and will be able to outbid us if necessary. There are no firm reports of interest in any “Plan B” signing(s) as far as I can see but, presumably, Edu has something ready.
In this instance, the player has more leverage. Chelsea trying to hijack this transfer was never going to work.
I think with Joao Felix we have dodged a bullet. He’s a one trick pony and it really showed at the world Cup.
Having said that I believe Edu with his magnificent scouting eye has a surprise ace up his sleeve! (as with Ødegaard, Zinchenko, Ramsdale and Jesus signings)
Come On You Sizzling Red Hot Gunners!
Is this the time for TGSTEL to come back from retirement?
Good Lord!
His club needs him!
Amazing that us fans would rather have *that* guy come back from retirement to help us than either RVP or Emanuel Adebayor, both of which were at least 5 times as talented as Bendtner (even if he would never see it that way lol)
Shows you just what c*nts both of those two players were at the end of their time with us
Mudryk is that explosive forward this team needs. He can play across the front three! What a signing he will become if we can get it across the line.
He reminds me of Lille’s Eden Hazard, but faster.
I see clubs like PSG and Madrid sniffing around with obscene money in a few years, ceteris paribus
he definitely looks significantly faster and stronger than Hazard at that age. Whether he has that type of final product like Hazard did is the question, but I’m willing to bet he does
Haven’t you looked on you tube and seen him play.hes awesome
I have, and there are lots of great highlights of him dribbling, not as many assisting and finishing. And given they’re highlights I’ve no clue how many passes and shots he fluffed compared to the few that are in the highlights.
We need a midfielder, sorry but Sambi is really poor this season and not much effort at all! Need a loan out.
Agree. Ideally a forward that can play across the front line, and a midfielder. Probably need 6 forwards total once in the CL. Saka, Martinelli, Jesus, Eddie, Mudryk, Balogun.
If we are willing to pay huge money, and if he is willing to come, then Declan Rice would be perfect. Immediate cover/competition for the roles played by both Partey and Xhaka (the two places we have least depth), and a longer-term replacement for one of them. He is young, a leader (captain of West Ham), obviously well-adapted to the league. It would clearly be a record spend for us, but an investment for the coming decade.
Danilo would be perfect
I think a loan for Memphis Depay could work. He looked hungry and can play across the line. Just don’t sign him to a contract.
Sounds like Depay in the sky
Mudryk, Danilo in midfield to have a future backup and replacement for Lokonga who should be sold in the summer. And top it off by sealing a cheap but physical and versitile forward that we need in Marcus Thuram under Chelskis noses would be great and realistic Jan business!
Obviously I’ve never seen a 90 min game of Mudryk only 10 minutes of his highlights, what gives me concern is the league he plays in, we’ve already had our fingers burnt with the £70 mil we over paid for Pepe, i watched HIS highlights and stupidly thought we were getting a Rolls Royce Mbappe only to get a Ford Focus Pepe who we are having to pay his expensive wages for another 2 years, he’s not turning over trees on his return to French league and why not he hit the lottery with his contract we gave him. Can… Read more »
Feels like Chelsea going for Felix is a good sign for us, as they could’ve well decided to go that route when finally getting clear signs from Mudryk that he definitely wants to come to us and that there’s zero percent chance that he’ll end up with those chavs.
With every disappointing Sambi performance and every showing by Eddie of the promise we hoped he could fulfill, that scene in All or Nothing where Eddie basically tells Sambi to quit whinging and suck it up just plays louder in my head.
On multiple levels, bravo, Eddie. Bravo!
Would like to know what everyone thinks of Balogun and the rumour that we are looking to sell him for 35m to one of the MIlan clubs.
I think if Arteta has made his mind that Balogun doesn’t have a future at Arsenal, we should sell but only after adding a buy-back cluse into the transfer.
Personally, I feel he should be given a chance to prove himself at Arsenal. Good strikers are worth in gold, and even buying the potential is costing 3 figure millions these days.
Rumours might be made up, however Arteta believes in Jesus and Eddie so if FB completes a great season and doesn’t like the idea of waiting for his chance at Arsenal behind 2 other strikers we should be ready to sell at a good price.
This is how top clubs operate.