Arsenal could be staring at a transfer windfall with if Unai Emery closes in on Newcastle job
Arsenal’s window to secure the future of Hale End graduate Eddie Nketiah is rapidly closing.
The striker has been with the club since he was 16, but with contract talks deadlocked, it appears that this will be his final season with the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta has frequently spoken highly of the young forward, implying that he believes he has a bright future in the game.
Just last week, Arsenal manager said he wanted to keep Nketiah, 22, who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season.
“We had a situation in the summer and there are still issues to resolve,” Arteta said after Nketiah’s goal in the EFL Cup. “But I have belief that Eddie is going to be a top, top player – hopefully for Arsenal.
“I’m happy to have him in the team, I rate him really highly and, from my side, I want him to stay.”
However, when it comes to Arteta’s genuine desire to include Nketiah in his growing Emirates revolution, actions have spoken louder than words.
He has yet to appear in a Premier League game this season, despite the absences of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
Arteta chose to start fellow youngster Folarin Balogun in the first game of the season, possibly due to his more secure future.
That has put Nketiah’s position at the club in jeopardy, to say the least. During the summer transfer window, there was widespread speculation that he was on his way out, with Arsenal reportedly demanding £20 million for his services.
If they don’t reach an agreement on a new deal between now and next May, that’s £20 million in rebuilding funds that will be lost.
That means a January exit may become more appealing, and with his former manager Unai Emery on the verge of returning to the Premier League, a perfect escape route may have emerged.
When Nketiah was loaned to Leeds in 2019, he revealed that Emery wanted him to stay at Arsenal and saw him as an important part of his own plans.
The Magpies are said to be confident in completing a deal for Villarreal’s manager and will support him fully in their bid to avoid relegation.
Newcastle will have a long list of needs in January, with the club languishing in the bottom three. However, a new striker will most likely be at the top of that list.
There is a need for another person to assist Callum Wilson, and Nketiah could be the perfect fit.
Emery’s arrival at Newcastle could provide Arsenal with another timely cash injection after selling Joe Willock to the Tyneside giants in the summer.
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Arsenal could be staring at a transfer windfall with if Unai Emery closes in on Newcastle job
