Arsenal boss Unai Emery comments on Leeds United’s Eddie Nketiah

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Eddie Nketiah joined Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United on loan from Arsenal on transfer deadline day.

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has suggested to Football.London that he did not want Eddie Nketiah to leave for Leeds United in the summer transfer window.

Championship club Leeds signed the 20-year-old forward on loan from Premier League outfit Arsenal on transfer deadline day.

Emery has suggested that he initially did not want the youngster to go out on loan, and the Gunners boss has also made it clear that he wants the England Under-21 international to return to the Emirates Stadium at the end of the season.

Emery told Football.London: “It was the same with Eddie Nketiah, my first decision was not to let him leave.

“But after he spoke with me and [considering] the possibility of how many matches he is going to play with us, I said to him I could give him a lot of minutes this year but maybe he can improve more playing regularly 90 minutes each Sunday with Leeds.

“Our objective with him is: ‘play and come back here, we want to be with you in the future’.”

Good decision?

Arsenal have a very good and strong attacking unit, and it would have been hard for Nketiah to get regular playing time at the Emirates Stadium this season.

It made sense for the youngster to join Leeds on loan, especially following the departure of striker Kemar Roofe to Anderlecht.

Nketiah will hope that he gets regular playing at Leeds under head coach Marcelo Bielsa and is able to return to Arsenal next season a better and improved footballer.