Eddie Nketiah unwilling to take pay cut to join Nottingham Forest

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has refused to lower his lucrative wages to secure a move away from the Emirates Stadium this summer, according to talkSPORT.

Nketiah has fallen out of favour at Arsenal, with manager Mikel Arteta preferring Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and even Leandro Trossard ahead of the England international.

The Gunners academy graduate has failed to establish himself as a reliable goalscoring outlet since returning from a loan spell at Leeds United in January 2020.

With Arsenal keen to streamline their squad and free up space for more potential additions, Nketiah will likely leave the club before the transfer window closes.

However, Arsenal’s exorbitant asking price and the player’s refusal to budge on his wage demands could deter potential suitors.

Premier League strugglers Nottingham Forest are the latest side to register an interest in securing Nketiah’s signature after his proposed move to Olympique Marseille fell through.

Forest want to bolster their attacking options ahead of another potential relegation scuffle and have identified Nketiah as an ideal addition to Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad.

The Tricky Trees have already seen a £25 million bid turned down by Arsenal for Nketiah, who has also been linked with a move to Crystal Palace.

While they haven’t ruled out the possibility of returning with an improved offer, the prospect of breaking their wage structure to accommodate the striker has forced the club to reconsider their interest.

Arsenal valued Nketiah £50m at the start of the transfer window, but they would be willing to negotiate a lower fee if serious buyers come knocking.

Nketiah currently earns £120,000 per week at the Emirates. Forest know they’ll have to make him their highest-paid player to tempt him away from Arsenal, so they’ve started exploring other options.

Nketiah was an unused substitute in Arsenal’s Premier League curtain raiser, where they comfortably dispatched Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at the Emirates.

Last season, the 25-year-old made 37 appearances across all competitions and contributed six goals and three assists. But he only started 13 of those games.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com