West Ham want to sign exit-bound Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah
West Ham target Eddie Nketiah will leave Arsenal this summer after rejecting their latest contract offer, according to Sky Sports.
As reported by Dharmesh Sheth, and circulated on the official Sky Sports Twitter account, the 22-year-old striker will exit the Emirates Stadium before the conclusion of the current transfer window.
“He will leave in this transfer window, we understand Bayer Leverkusen and three Premier League clubs are interested,” Sheth said.
This news was brought to the attention of transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, and he confirmed West Ham were in the hunt to sign the Englishman.
He wrote on his personal Twitter profile: “Crystal Palace and West Ham are among the clubs interested…and Bayer Leverkusen.”
Flying the nest
Nketiah has been at Arsenal since 2015, but it looks like he has decided that his future lies elsewhere.
He is a player that has been highly rated for some time after scoring for fun as an academy prospect before breaking into the first team.
Arsenal clearly still rate him as they offered a new contract, while Gunners boss Mikel Arteta called the “powerful” forward “extraordinary” in June 2020 [Arsenal official website].
However, he made 17 Premier League appearances last season and scored just twice as he failed to nudge ahead of senior strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the pecking order.
He’s clearly a talented forward, but it remains to be seen whether he would fit into the profile of striker required at the Irons.
On the face of it he wouldn’t be a direct replacement for Michail Antonio, someone who can run the channels and play with his back to goal.
But perhaps an alternative type of striker is required as we head into the Europa League, and Nketiah could prove a smart addition. He’s certainly available now.
In other West Ham news, Ashley Cole reacts as Irons star slammed by ITV pundit live on-air amid ‘Unbelievable’ moment.
Be sure to follow West Ham Zone on Facebook and Twitter for 24/7 updates on the Hammers and more exclusive interviews with Frank McAvennie.