Mikel Arteta provides fresh update on Eddie Nketiah’s future at Arsenal
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said that the club are trying to convince Eddie Nketiah to sign a new long-term deal.
The 22-year-old recently rejected a contract offer from the Gunners amid his lack of regular first-team football.
Arteta has already confirmed the decision, but he remains hopeful that the striker will change his stance.
Nketiah bagged his first Gunners hat-trick in the 5-1 win over Sunderland in the Carabao Cup quarter-final.
Following the game, Arteta said: “I tell you every day that we want to keep Eddie. We see how he trains, that’s what he does every day, he works so hard and puts the ball in the net every session.”
“I am really delighted with him. Every time we have needed him he has always responded.
“We are trying. It’s not about anything else but minutes. He wants gametime, he wants to be on that field and that is the only reason to say, ‘Can I do it here?’ That’s the question. We all want him to stay.”
Our view:
Nketiah has yet to start a Premier League game this term. His three starts have come in the League Cup.
The striker has made the most of those opportunities with five goals, but it has been a lower level of opposition.
He has been able to break into Arteta’s league plans regularly, but has been coming off the bench in recent weeks.
Nketiah squandered a wonderful scoring chance at Everton. Those are opportunities he must capitalise on.
As things stand, the striker remains out of contention for a starting league role, but his game time could improve.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang out of the first-team plans for now, Nketiah should get more minutes.
His contract expires next summer, but the Gunners appear unlikely to sanction his sale this winter.
With Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe leaving for the African Cup of Nations in January, the club will be short of options.
Alexandre Lacazette is likely to be the only experienced striker in the club’s ranks next month.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
Read: Mikel Arteta speaks on Gabriel Martinelli’s progress at Arsenal.
