Arsenal have been trying really hard to hold onto Eddie Nketiah and according to David Ornstein, the forward has decided not to leave.
The 22-year-old was set to leave in the summer as a free agent but he seems to have made a u-turn and will now sign a new five-year contract at the Emirates Stadium.
He wrote in his article: “Eddie Nketiah has changed his mind about leaving Arsenal and is on the verge of signing a new contract, The Athletic understands.”
Aubameyang left in January and Lacazette is also going to leave as a free agent in the coming months so it makes sense why Arsenal have decided to offer Eddie Nketiah a new long-term deal.
🚨 𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆: Eddie Nketiah is now set to STAY at Arsenal and sign a new contract. The extension is not yet complete but is expected to be for 5-years.
(Source: @SamiMokbel81_DM / @David_Ornstein) pic.twitter.com/AZQIZQeQ43
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) May 25, 2022
Is it a good idea to hand Eddie Nketiah a new contract?
The youngster has come to life during the final quarter of the season, ending the campaign with five league goals from 13 starts and this sudden burst of form is another excuse why Mikel Arteta wants to hold onto him.
However, we firmly believe that by offering him a new deal, Arsenal have actually gone one step backwards.
After narrowly missing out on Champions League football, what Arsenal need is to bring in one or two world-class and experienced forwards who can steer them through the tough times and while Nketiah might be brilliant in front of goal, the 22-year-old does not have the mental capacity to lead the line all throughout the season.
Since he’s agreed to sign a new deal we are sure Mikel Arteta has assured him regular playing time but with someone like Osimhen or Jesus coming in, Eddie Nketiah will at best, play in the cup competitions or the Europa League.
Also, by holding onto the youngster, Arsenal will not be able to bring in a satisfactory backup player. We believe the Gunners have offered him a new deal partly because they are going to see a cut in their transfer budget after missing out on Champions League football but what they actually needed was to bring in some experienced striker who can help them get back into the top-four by the end of next season.
