Arsenal will command a minimum of £40m when selling Eddie Nketiah this summer and SIX clubs are showing interest, while the striker’s sale will help fund a move for one of Europe’s elite centre-forwards, according to various reports.
There are very few weaknesses to be seen in Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side. However, to beat Manchester City, teams must strive for perfection and the lack of a reliable 20-goal-per-season striker is a concern.
Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Eddie Nketiah have all split time leading the line this term. The trio have combined for just 16 league goals – a figure Erling Haaland, Ollie Watkins, Dominic Solanke and Alexander Isak have all surpassed by themselves.
The signing of a top class striker is expected at the Emirates this summer. To fund the calibre of player Arteta craves, a sale will be required.
TEAMtalk exclusively learned on March 18 that Arsenal had told Nketiah and his camp that he’s free to find a new club.
Per a fresh update from HITC, the Gunners will demand buying clubs stump up a minimum of £40m to sign the 24-year-old.
Explaining how they’ve settled on that figure, it’s noted Arsenal sold fellow academy graduate Folarin Balogun to Monaco for a package worth roughly £34m last summer.
Nketiah is seemingly viewed in similar fashion to Balogun and given he boasts far greater Premier League experience, the Gunners will command a slightly higher sum.
Interest in snapping up Nketiah is already widespread. West Ham, Wolves, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Brentford and Leicester City have all been mentioned by one outlet or another.
How Arsenal’s sizeable £40m price tag will affect each side’s interest level remains to be seen.
Nketiah out, Gyokeres in?
Nonetheless, what is clear is Arsenal are prepared to sacrifice Nketiah and given he’s a homegrown player, the proceeds from a sale will represent pure profit on the balance sheet.
That will help Arsenal to fund a blockbuster move for a new frontman and according to reports in Portugal, the man they’ll move for is Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres.
Jornal de Noticias claimed Arsenal are ‘preparing to submit a formal proposal’ to sign Gyokeres this summer.
The Sweden international has been a revelation ever since his €24m (including add-ons) move from Coventry last year.
Gyokeres has remarkably bagged 36 goals and 16 assists in just 44 appearances in Lisbon. His exploits have put Ruben Amorim’s side on course for a league and cup double.
The 25-year-old’s contract with Sporting contains a hefty release clause worth €100m/£86m. As you would expect, Sporting will not sell their star striker for a euro less than the full release fee.
Their demands don’t appear to be deterring Arsenal chief Edu, however. The Portuguese report added the Gunners are ‘extremely impressed’ with Gyokeres and are now the ‘most likely’ club to sign him this summer.
