Paul Merson told Soccer Saturday on Sky Sports (28/08/21 at 2:55 pm) that Eddie Nketiah leaving Arsenal for Crystal Palace isn’t a good move for the striker.
There are suggestions that Nketiah could be heading for the Emirates exit door before Tuesday’s deadline.
It seems as though Arsenal rate their academy star at £20 million, but Palace, who are managed by Highbury legend, Patrick Vieira want £12 million for his talents.
Whether it’s Palace or elsewhere, one thing is for sure, Nketiah needs to move on because he’s not going to get the game time in North London.
But Merson explained why he feels Nketiah just doesn’t suit Palace’s style.
“I am not sure,” said Merson. “He went to Leeds United and he didn’t do it at Leeds.
“You are working on scraps. It’s a hard situation for the centre-forward. You look at Palace and they aren’t scoring bundles of goals.
“If I was a centre-forward, and the way he plays, he wants the little balls down the channels.
“I don’t see Palace dominating enough football matches that far up the pitch to get those little balls down the channels for him to hit across the goal. That’s the kind of player he is. I don’t think that’s a good move for him at all.”
Palace are in need of goals and given that their strikers are yet to score this season then they might just meet Arsenal’s valuation for him.
Vieira is trying to play a more progressive game at Selhurst Park, where he is trying to push the London club further up the field and playing more attack-minded football.
But will Nketiah’s poaching-like abilities work under Vieira’s guidance?
Well, at this moment in time, it’s his best bet because signing for Palace is a better option than warming the bench at the Emirates.
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