Eddie Nketiah has left Arsenal with a decision to make on his future after rejecting a new contract with the club, according to The Athletic.
The Gunners moved to tie Nketiah down with a new deal in order to protect his value in the summer transfer market. The striker will enter the final year of his £45,000-per-week terms in July and could leave for free in 2022.
Arsenal last extended Nketiah’s contract in 2017 as a reward for his senior breakthrough after four appearances under Arsene Wenger. It capped a stellar year for the then-18-year-old, who penned his first professional deal a year earlier.
But Nketiah’s progress at Arsenal has stalled in the four years since last putting pen to paper. The now-22-year-old has played just 38 career Premier League matches and started only 11 of them.
Despite featuring in more games last term for a career-best 17, Nketiah’s minutes were also reduced for the first time in four seasons. He played just 413 minutes under Mikel Arteta, returning two goals and an assist.
Nketiah feature more often in the Europa League with 461 minutes over eight appearances. But he only played 12 minutes after the group stage, despite contributing three goals, as Arteta favoured experienced options.
The Arsenal product is now considering his future and has left the club with a decision to make. Arteta must decide if the Gunners sell and avoid Nketiah leaving for free or keep him in north London.
Arsenal want £20m to sell Nketiah this summer, per The Sun, which has forced suitors to look elsewhere. The Athletic note another option would be to offer a new contract before sanctioning a season-long loan.
Arteta admits Nketiah’s Arsenal situation is his fault
Arsenal will likely have to reduce their demands to sell Nketiah and avoid him leaving for free after he rejected a new contract. Suitors will baulk at paying £20m for a striker who has failed to establish himself in the Premier League and is out of contract in just 12-months.
His wage could also prove an issue in any attempt to offload the centre-forward. Clubs may be against matching his salary after only scoring five goals in 38 career top-flight outings. But his lack of minutes make Arsenal extending his deal perplexing, in a situation Arteta has admitted is his fault.
“He needs to be patient and he’s showing no signs of lacking attitude or anything like that, it’s the complete opposite,” the Spaniard said, via Sky Sports, in March. “He’s a joy to work with and he deserves minutes and if he doesn’t get it, it’s just my fault.”
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