Eddie Nketiah is open to extending his contract over leaving Arsenal in the next summer transfer widow, but will only sign if Mikel Arteta offers key assurances, per Calciomercato.
Arsenal have brought a renewal back to the table, with Nketiah out of contract at the end of the season. The 22-year-old last extended his deal in 2017 after making his senior debut at the Emirates Stadium under Arsene Wenger.
But Nketiah has struggled to establish a key presence in north London since Arteta took to the helm in 2019. He has made 48 of his 67 first-team appearances under the Spaniard, yet only started 25 so far. Of his opening roles, only 11 have also come in the Premier League.
Nketiah will now only sign a new contract if Arteta reassures him he will occupy a greater role at Arsenal. Seeking guarantees over his minutes and likely starts, having failed to make any of the Gunners’ top-flight squads this season.
Arteta last named the England U21 international in a Premier League squad when Arsenal beat Brighton on May 23. But he did not feature in the final day encounter, with Nketiah’s last minutes coming against Everton on April 23. Also his fourth start in 17 games last term.
Arsenal offered Nketiah a new contract earlier this year to avoid him potentially leaving in a summer transfer. That’s per The Athletic, however, football.london noted talks broke down and left the attacker likely to hold out on renewing to leave at the end of his current deal.
Should Arsenal offer Nketiah a new contract?
Arsenal would protect Nketiah’s value by agreeing a new contract, having failed to secure a transfer this summer. TalkSPORT reported the Hale End graduate attracted Crystal Palace and Brighton’s interest, but the Gunners wanted £20m.
Now, the north Londoners will only earn around £8m in compensation for his development if Nketiah joins an English club. While the forward can agree a free transfer to a foreign side from January, and The Sun report he may land a £60k-a-week deal and a signing-on bonus.
Nketiah reminded Arteta of what he is capable of as Arsenal beat Leeds in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night. Earning praise from Alan Smith after the £45k-a-week attacker lifted the ball over Illan Meslier to score.
“When there’s half a chance, he comes alive in the box, and he is a brilliant poacher,” Smith said on Sky Sports. “It’s something that will stay with him throughout his career, and he just needs to add to that asset now, as he gets older and develops. But it was a brilliant take.”
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