Crystal Palace are thought to be keen on signing Arsenal backup striker Eddie Nketiah this summer, but will likely face an uphill challenge to do so.
That is according to The Eagles Beak, who claim that Palace have ‘identified Eddie Nketiah as their number one target to lead the line’ but that the departure of Jean-Philippe Mateta would be required to allow a move to be made more feasible.
Though a firm second choice in north London behind Gabriel Jesus, Nketiah won’t come cheap should they formalise their interest, with the homegrown talent likely to be valued in excess of £40m.
Nketiah earns £100,000 per week in north London, thanks to a contract penned with the Gunners last summer, and the 24-year-old is unlikely to settle for anything less than that even if it does come with the added benefit of regular first team football.
He has also made it clear that, though he will not accept being a backup, he wants to succeed in north London.
“No I don’t think I have accepted being a backup and I will never accept that”, he explained on the pre-season tour of the USA.
“I realise I might not play every game and that’s the coach’s decision but it’s never going to be my mentality to accept not playing.
“I am going to always push in training to get opportunities to show why I think I should be playing and to give the manager a headache. Most players should have that mentality. There’s ways to do it. There is no point sitting around and moaning every day.
“The manager’s door is always open so you can have conversations but you have to show it on the pitch, there is no point sitting outside the pitch and complaining.”
All in all, unless Mikel Arteta feels otherwise it seems unlikely that the Englishman will be leaving the club this summer.
