Crystal Palace are reportedly interested in signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah in the ongoing January transfer window.
The England under-21 international has struggled to break into the Gunners side under Mikel Arteta, managing just three Premier League appearances so far this season. The young striker is out of contract at the end of the season and has rejected a new deal from the club, as he prepares to leave the Emirates Stadium for regular game time elsewhere.
According to The Sun, Crystal Palace remain keen on Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah but will have to battle it out with Brighton and Bayer Leverkusen for his signature. The Eagles wanted to acquire the young Englishman’s services in the summer and still remain very much in the hunt during this transfer window, the report adds.
Nketiah, 22, does remain behind the likes of Alexandre-Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli in the attacking pecking order, and despite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s recent omission due to a disciplinary breach, he is finding it tough to get game time with the first-team in the Premier League.
Eddie Nketiah to Crystal Palace—A shrewd long-term acquisition?
Crystal Palace forwards Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew could miss more than a month’s action due to their AFCON commitments with Ivory Coast and Ghana respectively. Jean-Philippe Mateta’s loan from Mainz is also unlikely to be turned permanent, while Eberechi Eze is yet to get up to speed after returning from a serious Achilles injury.
On top of that, with 29 goals scored in 20 games, signing a forward has become an absolute necessity for the south Londoners. Patrick Vieira is building a young side at Selhurst Park since taking over the reins from Roy Hodgson in the summer, thereby, considerably changing the club’s approach in the transfer market.
That makes Eddie Nketiah a perfect fit with Crystal Palace’s plans going forward under Vieira. In Nketiah, the Eagles would get a hard-working, speedy and clinical striker in the box with good technique and link up ability. He is a smart player who has the instincts of a poacher, which helps him score all kinds of goals from inside the box.
With Zaha and Ayew having left for the AFCON, Nketiah could have a great chance to establish himself in Vieira’s first team if a move to Crystal Palace materialises this month. A move would be understandable as well, regardless of the plenty of attacking options at Vieira’s disposal. The England under-21 international could be the ideal option to be nurtured into the long-term successor for the goal-shy Christian Benteke, who turned 31 in December.
All in all, the Eagles must do everything possible to sign Eddie Nketiah on a cut-price deal in this window to boost their hopes for a top-half finish.
