Arsenal confident of double transfer u-turn

Arsenal are 90 minutes away from ending a five-year spell without Champions League football after a nervy 2-1 victory over Leeds on Sunday.

Mikel Arteta’s side have got themselves into contention for a top four finish off the back of four straight Premier League wins, a spell that started at Stamford Bridge and has seen them beat Manchester United, West Ham and Leeds since.

Knowing victory over Tottenham in the north London derby would give them an insurmountable lead over their bitter rivals in the chase, immense credit has to go to those who’ve helped Arsenal into a position where this is even a possibility.

When Alexandre Lacazette tested positive for Covid after the defeat to Brighton, Eddie Nketiah was brought into the starting lineup against Southampton. He didn’t score on the day, with a wasteful Arsenal going on to lose the game, but he offered a different and refreshing threat.

Arsenal confident of double transfer u-turn for Eddie Nketiah and Mohamed Elneny ahead of summer window

Those very qualities were on show a few days later against Chelsea, with Nketiah bagging himself a pair of goals that it’s fair to say Lacazette wouldn’t have chipped in with.

In the following game against Manchester United he played arguably his best game of the lot, then against West Ham was a really positive influence on the side, and his performance deserved a goal. Now, after Leeds, he’s got another pair of strikes and playing the best football of his career.

What was that about a contract?

As per football.london, Arsenal remain ‘optimistic’ that Nketiah will sign a new deal at the club despite having rejected several offers up until this point.

It isn’t known where the breakthrough may or may not have come, but if Arsenal are growing in confidence then there can only be some greater reassurances handed to Nketiah that the minutes are his to lose. Because, even if he does stay, Arsenal still need another top quality striker to come in and help them compete in European competitions.

However, the form the 22-year-old is in can’t be missed. He’s already scored more open play goals this season than Lacazette and Aubameyang had combined at Arsenal. Even his biggest supporters will have been taken aback by his improvement.

There is a lot of uncertainty around how the club have seemingly convinced him, especially when the focus right now should be on everything other than contracts, but it would appear that he’s taken his chance and possibly convince Arsenal to up the stakes.

Nketiah is not the only u-turn on the horizon, though.

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