Arsenal set for huge Eddie Nketiah loss

Arsenal have made a string of errors in the transfer market dating back to the years well before Mikel Arteta and Unai Emery ever patrolled the touchline.

The mistakes aren’t reserved solely for signings, even if the £72m spent on Nicolas Pepe succeeds in looking more careless by the minute, with the cause of these failings running deep with many spiraling roots.

An inferiority complex the club has had over selling players has played its role. Whether fearful of fan backlash or too reluctant to throw the proverbial towel in on talent, presentable sale opportunities have passed by without so much as a second’s thought of being accepted.

Eddie Nketiah is one of the more notable cases, with Arsenal once again set to be the victims of their own shortcomings.

Arsenal set for huge Eddie Nketiah loss as the club’s transfer failings will see the ever improving striker depart for free in at the end of the season

Opportunities have gone by for the club to cash in on Nketiah, or to at least loan him out. A decision was made to put their faith in Folarin Balogun, someone whose stock had risen exponentially over the course of 12 months, at time where Nketiah’s had angled in the other direction.

Given the former Cobham youth failed to nail down a starting berth ahead of both Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the fleeting substitute appearances and the resulting performances were never going to match either his or Arsenal’s ambitions.

Failure to secure a permanent move away in the summer – the reasons for that uncertain yet unlikely to be down to one single party – Nketiah has been left in an unfortunate limbo: he is not a first team participant nor is he taking minutes off Balogun in the Under-23’s.

Unwilling to pen fresh terms as the final year of his contract runs down, the striker is left to feed off Carabao Cup scraps. But he’s filled his stomach on them. Not sparkling by any means, Nketiah showed further signs of progress on Tuesday.

With two goals in two starts against AFC Wimbledon and Leeds, the 22-year-old has not only found the back of the net, he’s also unearthed a more rounded, complete game. One dimensional in his play, that fox in the box nature has been developed alongside more efficient hold-up play, bursts into the channels and fine-tuned one-touch link up.

There are more strings to his bow. To be improving those aspects with next to no competitive action will entice and encourage a European and British market always on the hunt for goals. It’s now 15 in 67 appearances for Arsenal, which is a commendable record considering the lion’s share of those have been substitute outings.

Clubs will see what improvements he’s making and the suitors will line up. Can Arsenal prevent that? Can they keep him? And, perhaps more importantly, should they keep him?

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Arsenal Will Lose Nketiah for Free – Despite Arteta’s Wishes

Speaking after the 2-0 win, Arteta once again lavished Nketiah with praise for his performance, just as he’d done against the Dons and just as he has done for his entire tenure.

The manager has been complimentary of the striker even in his toughest moments.

"“I have no doubts about what he [Nketiah] can offer,” Arteta told the club website. “But there’s a lot of players who play in that position, and with a personal situation [with his contract running down], but I try to leave that aside and try to [reward him] because he deserves it. “[…] we had a situation in the summer that we tried to resolve and we couldn’t either way. I have full belief that he is going to be a top player and hopefully at Arsenal."

"“I am happy to have him in the team. He is our player and I consider him and regard him really highly, and from my side I want him to stay.”"

Arteta laying his cards on the table will be a huge personal boost for Nketiah. But what of them? He has a teammate in Balogun who has been handed a detailed outline of his route into the Premier League side, and for all the manager’s encouragement, Nketiah is yet to make a top-flight squad this season.

Of course, Lacazette and Aubameyang have one and two years left respectively in their north London tanks, and the gaps they will leave are there to be filled. Yet should Nketiah sign a new deal and fight for his place, it’s hard to envisage his duties differing too greatly from their current remit. From Nketiah’s point of view, being bit-part won’t suffice.

What Arsenal need and what Arsenal want can’t be fulfilled by Nketiah. It may be by Balogun, and only time will tell on that, but to enter the next phase of this rebuild Arsenal will have to sign a new striker. Nketiah is not the player to elevate this team.

Improvements are being made in all departments of his game, and while his profile and knack for finding the back of the net will be to Arsenal’s detriment, it will only be so financially. With age, ability and a contract on his side, the club could have fetched a healthy profit. As it is they’ll lose him for free. From all parties’ perspective it can’t conceivably end any other way.

Clubs will be lining up for a homegrown striker with Premier League experience. This is someone who is developing without competitive minutes and whose eye for goal – which averages at 5.9 yards out – is a hallmark he won’t lose.

While Nketiah isn’t a striker to lead Arsenal forward, his departure will still prove to be a huge loss that the club failed to profit from.