Jay Bothroyd has claimed that Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has the qualities to play ‘regularly for another Premier League club’.
The Hale-End academy product, 24, started the season as back-up to Gabriel Jesus, before filling in for the Arsenal summer signing when he got injured at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
It started well for Eddie Nketiah, including that last-minute goal against Manchester United, but he then began to fade and Bothroyd thinks if he ‘really believes in his skills’, then he won’t sit on the bench at Arsenal, as he posted on Twitter.
The issue for Nketiah is that he was a back-up option before the season started, and in truth, he hasn’t really done anything of note that suggests he should be number one next season.
Over the course of the campaign, he netted nine goals from 39 games in all competitions.
Added to that, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mikel Arteta looks to enhance his striker options this summer, especially with the Champions League returning to the Emirates, so from that perspective, it might push the England U21 further back.
But this is what former Hale-End star Bothroyd had to say about Nketiah: “Eddie has more than enough quality to go and play regular at another Premier League club,” said Bothroyd. “If you really believe in your skills you can’t sit and be a squad player… in my opinion.”
NKETIAH SHOULD FOLLOW BALOGUN’S FOOTSTEPS
Last season, in the summer and even now, many would probably put Nketiah ahead of Folarin Balogun.
But the USMNT international has now taken his stock and pushed up to the highest level it’s been at after his stunning loan spell at Reims in Ligue 1.
Balogun scored 21 goals for the French club and he has proven to Nketiah that, if you move away from Arsenal, even on a loan deal, then you can take your game to such levels.
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