Frank McAvennie casts doubts over Eddie Nketiah amid Fabrizio Romano’s West Ham claim
We’re delighted to welcome former West Ham United striker Frank McAvennie as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at the London Stadium…
Frank McAvennie has cast doubts over Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah but has backed David Moyes in his pursuit of the reported West Ham target.
The Lewishman-born forward, who broke the England Under-21s goalscoring record last year, is on the radar of a host of clubs this summer according to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, as first detailed on his personal Twitter profile [June 14].
He then delivered an update 11 days later, telling the Arsenal Lounge podcast [25/06]21] that “West Ham are seriously interested in him”. He also said to “keep an eye in particular on Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham for him. For sure, these two are the most interested.”
Ex-Irons striker McAvennie is unsure if Nketiah has the required work ethic to thrive at the London Stadium, but believes Moyes knows best.
“David Moyes likes workers, and I don’t know if that boy is one of those,” McAvennie told West Ham Zone.
“But listen, whoever he brings in I’m sure will be the right fit, simply because it will be Moyes who is making the decision.”
Stunted progress
There was huge hype surrounding Nketiah when he first burst onto the scene, after some goal-laden seasons with the Arsenal youth teams.
He scored on just his second appearance for the Gunners, in a League Cup clash with Norwich City in 2017.
Nketiah spent the first half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan at then-Championship side Leeds United and made a terrific start to life at Elland Road, scoring five goals, but his time there fizzled out and he headed back to north London midway through the season.
He scored four goals during that campaign for Arsenal, and six more followed last season, but he struggled to assert himself in the first-team with Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang preferred.
The striker is clearly a very talented player but he doesn’t appear to fit Moyes’ system, with Michail Antonio currently instilled as the low frontman, a powerful presence who works the channels and is great with his back to goal.
Nketiah is more of a poacher, and perhaps Moyes wants someone prolific on the bench and for certain games where a two-pronged attack is used, but Nketiah would surely baulk at the idea of not getting regular minutes as a starter.
In other West Ham news, Adrian Durham vents fury after Irons star involved in baffling Tuesday incident.
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