Nottingham Forest is edging closer to agreeing on a transfer fee exceeding £30 million for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, as talks continue to progress positively.
As negotiations heat up, the Forest club is not only focused on Nketiah but is also eyeing Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez. Meanwhile, Crystal Palace has shown interest in the Arsenal forward, who was also a contender for Bournemouth before they finalized their acquisition of Evanilson.
Recently, Nketiah played as an unused substitute during Arsenal’s match against Wolves, with Kai Havertz starting and Gabriel Jesus making an appearance off the bench. Last season, Nketiah recorded 27 Premier League appearances, only starting in 10 of them, and has yet to start a league match this season.
With three years remaining on his contract, Nketiah is keen on moving to secure more regular first-team action. Should he depart, it opens up possibilities for Arsenal to bolster their midfield with Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad.
If the transfer materializes without further departures, Arsenal will rely on Havertz and Jesus as their primary centre forward options, with Trossard available as a contingency. Havertz recently demonstrated his scoring abilities by netting one goal and providing an assist in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Wolves, boasting 17 goal contributions across 14 games as a striker.
Coach Mikel Arteta has indicated a lack of urgency to replace Nketiah with another forward, emphasizing the potential within the current squad. Arsenal is also actively seeking to strengthen their options on the right flank, especially if Reiss Nelson joins Nketiah in the exit.
The summer transfer window for the 2024 season closes on August 30 at 11 PM UK time for the Premier League. This year, the deadline has been synchronized with other top European leagues to streamline the process.
