It’s been an interesting summer for Arsenal so far this year, as with some impressive preseason wins against the likes of Manchester United, Lyon and Bayer Leverkusen, there is much to be cheerful and hopeful about heading into a campaign with so much on the line.
However, as things stand, the only signing made that has changed the first team remains Riccardo Calafiori, and while he looks to be a quality addition, it doesn’t feel enough in the face of the unstoppable Manchester City.
Moreover, while the club managed to get an impressive fee for Emile Smith Rowe earlier in the window, they have struggled to sell several other players who, if they stay, are set to remain on the periphery this year.
One of those players is Eddie Nketiah, and while he’s a good striker, the Gunners have already been linked with another centre-forward this summer who’d be an ideal upgrade.
The latest on Eddie Nketiah
Nketiah only made 37 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions last season, amounting to 1393 minutes, and so it was always quite clear that the plan this summer was going to be to sell him.
It appeared that would happen late last month when French giants Marseille made a concerted effort to bring him to the French Riviera, although the potential fee was a significant sticking point for both teams.
The Gunners demanded a fee of up to €30m, which is about £26m, while the Ligue 1 side wanted to pay closer to €20m, which is just £17m.
It looked like a deal had been reached late last week for a loan with an obligation to buy closer to Arsenal’s valuation. However, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano confirmed yesterday afternoon that the deal was dead.
This situation suits neither the player nor the club, but Arteta and Co could still bring in a dream replacement for the Englishman this summer, which may see him banished from the squad altogether.
Why Jonathan David could banish Nketiah from the team
Yes, the player in question is LOSC Lille ace Jonathan David, who was touted for a move to the Emirates earlier this summer, and for a fee as low as £20m.
This reasonable fee, primarily due to his contract expiring next summer, is one of the key reasons that the Gunners could still sign him despite missing out on the money that the sale Nketiah would’ve brought in, which could be bad news for the Englishman.
The Canadian international would be an instant upgrade on the North Londoners’ number 14, and his output over the last four years is a testament to that.
