Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear has shared his honest view on Eddie Nketiah on The Square Ball.
The Leeds CEO has said that Arsenal striker Nketiah is a fantastic player, and so is his teammate and midfielder Joe Willock.
However, Kinnear has said that paying £20 million or £25 million for the striker or for the midfielder would be a big risk.
What Angus Kinnear thinks
Kinnear said about Nketiah on The Square Ball, as transcribed by The Boot Room: “If we can work at the level before they get to £20/£25 million [that’s ideal].
“Because buying English players for £20 or £25 million who really still haven’t properly delivered in the Premier League – Nketiah, Willock.
“Both are fantastic talents, but they are big bets to put on players to deliver immediately in the Premier League. We think that the level just before is probably the optimal time to purchase them.”
Nketiah’s loan spell at Leeds
Kinnear’s comments on Nketiah are quite interesting, especially when you consider that the striker was on loan at Leeds not so long ago.
The 22-year-old striker joined Leeds on loan from Arsenal in the summer of 2019.
The Whites were then in the Championship and were aiming to win promotion to the Premier League.
Nketiah was supposed to be on loan at Leeds for the entire 2019-20 campaign, but he was recalled by Arsenal in January 2020 after struggling for playing time.
The striker made two starts and 15 substitute appearances in the Championship for the Whites, scoring three goals in the process.
Arsenal struggles
The youngster scored two goals in seven Premier League starts for the Gunners during the second half of the 2019-20 campaign.
Nketiah made only four starts in the league and six starts in the Europa League for Arsenal last season.
Kinnear would have seen the striker very closely during his loan spell at Leeds, and his comments do shed light on him.
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