Dharmesh Sheth has claimed that Arsenal striker, Eddie Nketiah, will remain at the club ‘as it stands’, as he told the Transfer Show on Sky Sports (30/01/22 at 6:05 pm).
This comes after ‘developments’ regarding his senior teammate, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and Barcelona closing in on a loan deal for the recently-stripped Arsenal captain.
Aubameyang hasn’t played for the Gunners since their defeat to Everton in December and the signs suggest his now-fractured relationship with Mikel Arteta won’t be repaired.
Added with that, he is probably the highest-paid player at the club, so it’s understandable that he would be the first one out of the door.
That seemingly makes life difficult for Nketiah because, if Arsenal were to let him go then Alexandre Lacazette would be the only out-and-out number nine at the club.
And with ‘increasing confidence’ that Aubameyang will be heading to the Nou Camp before Monday’s deadline, it seems as though Nketiah will stay put.
“The deal is not done with Barcelona but there is an increasing confidence it can be done,” said Sheth.
“It is a straight loan until the end of the season. Discussions are ongoing about how much of a percentage of his wages Barcelona will pay – we think he is on £350k-a-week.
“Arsenal will be looking for the majority of that payment to be made by Barcelona.
“These developments with Aubameyang explain why, as it stands, Eddie Nketiah remains at Arsenal. That is despite Crystal Palace making two bids during this transfer window.”
The striker situation is a bit of a mess in north London because that’s three strikers that might not be at the club next season.
Aubameyang looks as though he has played his last game, whilst Nketiah and Lacazette are out of contract in the summer.
With only hours remaining before the deadline, surely the Gunners have to bring in another striker, else they face a pretty difficult task in the summer to resolve that number nine issue.
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