Crystal Palace have asked about Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah and would be willing to pay £ 10m to get the 22-year-old to Selhurst Park.
Nketiah has gone the last year of his contract and is thought to be considering all his options, but has not yet seen any real suggestions that he will get a more role under Mikel Arteta in the future.
Nketiah’s contract terminated / Chloe Knott – Danehouse / Getty Images
As noted by The Athletics’ David Ornstein, Arsenal have tried to tie Nketiah to a new contract, but he has refused them and will leave a termination in the coming days.
Investigative talks were held with Brighton as part of the deal to get Ben White to the Emirates, but those negotiations went nowhere and it is now Palace that has shown the greatest interest in landing Nketiah.
Palace boss Patrick Vieira is ready to pay £ 10m to bring in Nketiah – as well as an unnamed team from Germany – but Arsenal are reluctant to do business at that price and are holding out for somewhere close to £ 20m.
The ball is really in Arsenal’s court on this one. Should they stand firm and refuse to sell Nketiah now, he would be free to sign a deal with an overseas team in January and could leave the club for free in just 12 months.
A foot injury has prevented Nketiah from presenting so far this season — an absence made even more frustrating by the fact that both Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette have been out with COVID-19 at the same time.
In Nketiah’s place, both Folarin Balogun and Gabriel Martinelli have had a chance to impress in advance, although the two have fought as far as Arsenal drew blanks against both Brentford and Chelsea.
Nketiah has had a hard time finding minutes / Shaun Botterill / Getty Images
Arsenal are trying to get some sales over the line before the transfer window closes. Sead Kolasinac is expected to join Fenerbahce in the coming days, while defender Hector Bellerin is also pushing to move away.
Lucas Torreira and Willian are both free to leave if buyers can be found, while the future of young winger Reiss Nelson is also in the air.
