Arsenal turn down two offers, as Patrick Vieira sets aside £10m for target
Crystal Palace and an unnamed German team are ready to pay £10m for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah this month, claims a report.
Nketiah has yet to appear in a matchday squad this season and his first-team chances look slim.
Even with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench against Chelsea, Nketiah could not get any game time. Instead Mikel Arteta went with Gabriel Martinelli in attack with Folarin Balogun on the bench.
When asked about Nketiah’s lack of game in March, Arteta said: “It hurts as well because of how Eddie behaves and trains every day and because he’s a player from our academy, but he will have his chance.
“He needs to be patient and he’s showing no signs of lacking attitude or anything like that, it’s the complete opposite.
“He’s a joy to work with and he deserves minutes and if he doesn’t get it, it’s just my fault.”
Palace boss Patrick Vieira is though keen on the player, who featured 29 times for Arsenal last season. He scored six times in those appearances and Vieira wants him to bolster his squad.
David Ornstein of The Athletic reports that Palace are keen on the 22-year-old, but only want to pay £10m.
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Arsenal playing hardball
That valuation is shared by a team in Germany, who are understood to have seen two approaches rejected.
Ornstein states that Arsenal want £20m for the former Leeds loanee, despite his contract running out next summer.
There has been no indication that Nketiah will stay beyond 2022 and Arsenal are looking to sell, per the report.
They have just over a week to find a buyer before the August 31 transfer deadline. Or face selling the striker in January before losing him as a free agent next summer.
Watford were linked with a move for the forward earlier in the summer. While more recently West Ham and Brighton were touted as suitors, but the Gunners’ valuation appears to have been prohibitive.
READ MORE: Arteta admits Chelsea flattened Arsenal plan for Lukaku, as tactical flaw gets brunt of blame
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