Arsenal making last ditch attempt to secure striker deal

Desperate times call for desperate measures. That isn’t just a nod to the famed Rob Holding low block, and instead reflective of some of the transfer business Arsenal hope to complete.

The Gunners’ pursuit for a new striker in the upcoming summer has seen them largely linked with a double swoop. Given the situations surrounding Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, Mikel Arteta needs to find replacements for both.

One of those is expected to be a more versatile option, someone who can operate in wide berths when needed, with the other due to be a more traditional centre-forward who can drop deep to link play and be a threat in the box.

Gabriel Jesus and Lautaro Martinez are two of the more recent names to be mentioned in the same breath as Arsenal, although activity could alter if there is movement internally.

Arsenal making last ditch attempt to keep Eddie Nketiah as club prepare long-term contract for massively improved Hale End graduate

Specifically relating to Nketiah.

Arteta’s pleas for the 22-year-old to stay have been relentless. After every Carabao Cup performance or when asked in a press conference, the manager has not hidden his desire. Arsenal have offered Nketiah contracts, those which he has turned down, and no amount of public declarations of love are seeming to work.

As per Sami Mokbel of the Mail, the club are not giving up.

Starting the last four Premier League matches for Arsenal, Nketiah has been a revelation. His performances are some of the most ‘complete’ seen at the club for some time. All of the elements he previously found lacking in have been fine-tuned considerably. He hasn’t been exceptional, but blimey, he’s been very, very good. Surprisingly so.

Having turned down every offer previously, Arsenal are set to make one last ditch attempt to convince Nketiah to stay, perhaps with a new and improved offer. His stance has always been one where playing time is most important to him, and while he’s earned himself more minutes in north London, the club’s intention to sign at least one striker in the summer will see that playing time reduced further.

Nketiah is clearly talented but not the elite option to lead Arsenal in European competition. As a second choice, however, the genuine brilliance of his recent showings, those which have plenty more time to improve as he’s still very young, would make him a fine backup option.

Is he going to want that? He’s made it clear that he won’t.

With sides in Germany and France, as well as long-standing interest from Crystal Palace and other Premier League outfits, he will not be short of suitors willing to offer him the regular minutes he craves. If he keeps up the level of performance he’s producing presently, it’s top-flight minutes he richly deserves, too.

A decision won’t be made until the end of the season, with Nketiah’s representatives having been in dialogue with clubs abroad since January, leaving Arteta without another three weeks to relaunch his charm offensive.