Arsenal: Eddie Nketiah Among West Ham Transfer Targets

West Ham are tracking Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah this January.

Selling Sébastien Haller to Ajax for £20m, West Ham succeeded in continuing their trend of being absolutely useless at signing strikers in the transfer market. Their record transfer has come and gone at a loss 18 months on, and they’ve now turned their attentions to Arsenal.

Arsenal aren’t exactly able to rinse their London rivals too much, as they’re undergoing a squad overhaul to trim off the overgrown deadwood that litters their side. With a whole host of players heading for the exit door, an unexpected one could also be added to the list.

As per the Evening Standard, the Irons have placed Eddie Nketiah on their list of forward targets to succeed their now departed Ivorian. While they took a loss on the transfer, David Moyes has been promised he can reinvest the money earned into a shiny new striker.

Josh King and Boulaye Dia are the other names on the shortlist as the Hammers aim to make a swift turnover in that department.

Nketiah’s situation at Arsenal has been one of promise, just without full delivery. Ever since scoring a brace against Norwich on his senior debut, he’s showing glimpses of unquestionable talent coupled with equally subpar showings.

At the end of last season he even assumed the main striker role from Alexandre Lacazette, a spell only cut short by a reckless red card. To date he’s hit 12 goals in 57 outings for the club he joined in 2015, including a whopping 16 in just 14 England Under-21 appearances.

With the future of Folarin Balogun up in the air, the emergence of Premier League interest in Nketiah poses a whole host of questions. Is it time to pick between the two, or is all of that too reckless?

Should Arsenal Sell Eddie Nketiah?

Nketiah is a striker unlike any other at Arsenal. Each of the options for Mikel Arteta boast different qualities, with former Leeds loanee the unequivocal fox-in-the-box variety.

It’s almost impossible for him to score from outside the six-yard box.

The truth is that not all academy graduates make it into the senior fold. That’s not a revelation of any kind, it’s cold hard facts. Take Alex Iwobi for example, someone who never fully kicked on with the first-team but was sold for over £30m. In most peoples’ eyes he’s one of the most successful Hale End stars in recent memory.

Nketiah is now 21 years old and almost exclusively assigned a substitute role. Behind him is contract rebel Balogun (tongue in cheek), who in an ever so minuscule sample size has demonstrated all the traits one could ask for in a centre-forward: strength, energy, intelligence and finishing ability.

With only six months left on his deal, 18 on Nketiah’s, and a 29-year-old Lacazette making up the rest, Arsenal have vital decisions they need to start tending to. Lacazette will depart eventually, ideally in the summer, with just one of the two youngsters set to stay.

Selling Nketiah will 100% be in Arteta’s thinking. A loan could suit, but he need money. If Arsenal can squeeze every penny they can out of West Ham in this window, they’ll see it as a massive coup.

Folarin Balogun or Eddie Nketiah?

Looking likely to be Nketiah who keeps his place, West Ham interest opens up a whole new can of worms. Could Balogun be persuaded to stay if Nketiah departs? Arteta has repeatedly stressed his desire to keep hold of the former, so keen eyes coming from the east may be precisely what he’s after.

£20m seems like a fair(ish) fee – although Arsenal apparently want £30m – for someone of his age with a year and a half left on his deal, although in the current market, English talent with his international record could doubtlessly raise even more. Any funding at this point would be most welcome to tie down the creative targets the club seek, although a loan move could interest West Ham, Arsenal and Nketiah.

On my part, I think it is far too early to give up on Nketiah. Call it blind faith, but with the right wingers feeding him, he will score goals. Plenty of them. If the service from wide areas is right, as we’ve seen during FA Cup matches and in Europe, the 21-year-old has some of the smartest movement in the penalty box. Perhaps above strikers at the club.

Pull my arm and £25+ is money not to be scoffed at, not least since it’s pure profit. Balogun could be Chuba Akpom. He could be Serge Gnabry. Who knows?

Given the bare bones left to work behind the scenes at Arsenal, the scale of the job at hand is terrifying. Every day more important decisions are set before the recruitment department. You don’t envy them.

While everyone frets over creativity in midfield, those in front are also perched atop the to-do list.