Arsenal to sanction shock Eddie Nketiah transfer to Newcastle

This window gets crazier by the minute. Arsenal, without a single transfer signing this month, have already allowed five senior squad members to leave.

Calum Chambers was the latest on a long line of departures when he moved to Aston Villa on a permanent deal, joining Pablo Mari, Sead Kolasinac, Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Folarin Balogun in leaving the club in some capacity this month.

The major talking point around the whole window has been who Arsenal will bring in to aid their current woes at centre-forward. Dusan Vlahovic was a dead end, and their only three strikers on the books consist of two who are out of contract in the summer and another they’re desperately trying to move on.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was the subject of official approaches from both Barcelona and Juventus, with the pair eyeing a loan deal until the end of the season. Sanction that move and only Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah remain.

Arsenal to sanction shock Eddie Nketiah transfer to Newcastle with Mikel Arteta and Edu desperately trying to sign a striker in the January window

It appears as if Nketiah can be scratched off the list too.

As per the Telegraph, Newcastle are closing in on a triple deal to round off their January business, including the signing of Arsenal’s No. 30. Never, ever, doubt Arsenal to do something out of the blue in the transfer market.

Nketiah is due to travel to Tyneside over the weekend to complete a move that both clubs have been quietly working on across the window. Eddie Howe is keen to bring in a young striker he can develop with Callum Wilson ruled out until March at the earliest, with their other signing, Chris Wood, a different profile and also 30 years old.

Crystal Palace have been trying to land the 22-year-old in January to no avail, and with them due to secure Jean-Philippe Mateta on a permanent deal after his initial loan, they are now out of the running.

Talks have progressed well and now the Magpies are in pole position to secure Nketiah. Without the need to count a great deal, this move would leave Arsenal with one (1) striker on their books as it appears Aubameyang is almost certain to depart. With these two gone, Arsenal have a grand total of 17 outfield players in their squad.

It goes without saying that should this deal go ahead as planned, Arsenal will sign a centre-forward before Monday’s deadline. That much looks absolutely certain. It can’t not happen. Right?

Who might that be? Well, there is a Swedish striker over in La Liga with a hefty release clause that is asking to be activated.