After months of speculation, Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah appears to have finally committed his future to the club. The striker appeared certain to leave not long ago but a run in the team towards the end of the season and a plea from Mikel Arteta looks to have changed Nketiah's mind.
According to the reliable Simon Collings of the Evening Standard, Arsenal have sealed a new long-term contract with the young forward, which will run past 2025.
With Arsenal still pursuing the signing of Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus, it is thought Nketiah will play the majority of his minutes in the Europa League and domestic competitions. However as was the case last season, Arteta will want competition in his squad and there is no doubt Nketiah will be given the chance to challenge for the starting striker position.
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Chances had been in short supply for Nketiah for the majority of last season, with Alex Lacazette seemingly Arteta's preferred striker. However when Lacazette was ruled out for a week due to Covid-19, the Englishman saw his chance and took it. He would go on to start the rest of Arsenal's eight Premier League games, scoring five goals which included a brilliant brace in a thrilling 2-4 win at Stamford Bridge.
While Arsenal missed out on the top four at the end of the season, it was largely down to the impact Nketiah created that meant they were still in with a chance. The improvement of not just his finishing but his all-round game. His touch, his passing and his hold-up play have all taken strides forward in a very impressive way.
Throughout his years at Arsenal, Nketiah has gained the reputation of a poacher due to his good movement in the box and the short range his goals usually come from. However, the 23-year-old clearly has more strings to his bow and should only improve going forward.
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Further to the news of Nketiah's new contract, rumours started to emerge of a new shirt number for the striker.
Connor Humm (@TikiTakaConnor on Twitter) reported the forward would take the vacant number 14 shirt, previously worn by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Theo Walcott and of course, Thierry Henry.
The news was met with mixed reactions from the Arsenal fanbase, with some happy to see the number go to another Hale End graduate, following Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who were given the numbers 7 and 10 respectively.
Others were less happy, claiming the number should go to a player more proven. When Thierry Henry and Theo Walcott were given the famous number, they were relatively unproven too. Perhaps it's fitting that Nketiah should be given the chance to prove himself.
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As Arsenal's transfer window gets underway, Mikel Arteta will be glad to have the future of one of his strikers tied up. The next season promises to be a great one for Nketiah, who will undoubtedly work to prove his worth.
Topics: Eddie Nketiah, Mikel Arteta, Arsenal, Transfers
Evan Lloyd