The Daily Mail report that Eddie Nketiah remains on course to leave Arsenal, even as early as next month.
The 22-year-old’s contract expires in the summer, and foreign clubs will be able to discuss a free transfer with him in January. Borussia Monchengladbach and clubs in France are reportedly interested in him.
But there’s also interest from closer to home. West Ham, Crystal Palace, and Brighton are all listed by the Mail as among Nketiah’s Premier League admirers.
Mikel Arteta discussed Arsenal’s attempts to keep Nketiah following the striker’s hat-trick earlier this week.
“We are trying really hard to do the best that we can,” Arteta said. “Obviously, the contract has an expiry date and you cannot control that and we have had discussions with Eddie for a long time.
“I repeat again that his genuine intention is that he wants to play football and that’s the thing that is driving whatever decision he’s going to take for his future and you have to respect that.
“Obviously, he’s a player that we admire and that we want to keep, that has come through the system and we will continue to do our best to keep him because we want him to be part of our project and the club.”
Sky Sports reported recently that Nketiah had rejected another contract offer from Arsenal.
They wrote that the young striker’s decision wasn’t motivated by finances, but a lack of first-team opportunities.
The Athletic then confirmed the story, adding that Arsenal offered Nketiah an extension on Tuesday, 7th December, only for him to reject it on the Wednesday.
The same outlet claimed that there’s plenty of interest in Nketiah, with Gladbach again mentioned along with Nice and clubs from Italy.
The good news is that if Nketiah joins an English club, Arsenal look set to get at least some form of compensation, even if he leaves at the end of his contract in the summer.
Young academy players moving between English clubs require a payment determined by a tribunal if their contract is up and the two clubs can’t agree on a fee on their own.
