Eddie Nketiah breaks silence as Arsenal plot stunning transfer for Ivan Toney
Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has explained why he signed a new deal with the Gunners last year amid growing speculation the club are looking for a new striker.
Academy graduate Nketiah isn't currently considered first choice, with four-time Premier League winner Gabriel Jesus widely regarded as Arsenal's main man in attack. However, due to injuries to the Brazilian and some tactical tweaking from manager Mikel Arteta, Nketiah has seen more minutes than many fans may have expected in recent times, particularly this season.
Things initially started well for Nketiah - who was quickly among the goals. However, those strikes soon dried up. It has been a similar story this season, with Nketiah boasting just two goals despite featuring in all of Arsenal's league games so far. That is one more than Jesus, who has enjoyed less game time due to injuries.
As a result, some sections of the Emirates faithful have started to question whether Arteta needs to dip into the transfer kitty and land a new striker. If that were to happen in January, it could spark doubt regarding Nketiah's own future with the club, but for now the 24-year-old seems happy in the red and white of Arsenal.
Discussing why he chose to prolong his stay last summer, Nketiah told FourFourTwo : "It was just my love for the club. London’s home, the club is home, but I’ve been an Arsenal fan all my life and that played a big part."
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The young striker continued, adding that conversations with Arteta helped sway his decision to remain a Gunner. Nketiah claimed: "Talking to the manager and the plans he had for me, and the fact he needed me… I knew I wanted to learn, develop and help this club."
Nketiah penned his new deal well aware that he'd have to fight with Jesus to become Arsenal's first-choice striker, but if the rumours regarding Brentford's Ivan Toney are true, there may be another attacker to bump Nketiah further down the pecking order in north London.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Should Arsenal sign Ivan Toney in January? Comment below
Eddie Nketiah has endured mixed form so far this term for Arsenal (Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)The Bees striker is currently serving an eight-month ban for breaching the FA's betting rules, but will be eligible for a return in January - perfectly timed for a potential move to Arsenal in the winter window. Toney also recently joined super-agent Jonathan Barnett's CAA Stellar agency and spoke openly about his interest in a move away from Brentford on The Diary Of A CEO podcast in August.
"Everyone wants to play at the top of the tree," Toney admitted. "The manager knows that I want to play at the highest level possible and whenever that time comes, so be it. My time at Brentford has been probably the best of my career. The next club I go to will be the right club."
A self-confessed admirer of Arsenal, Toney has attracted interest from those in power at the north London club. Whether the Gunners are prepared to meet Brentford's £60million asking price in the middle of the campaign remains to be seen, but Nketiah is running out of time to prove himself.
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