The transfer story of Eddie Nketiah has taken a fresh turn as the Arsenal attacker continues to be linked with a host of clubs. As per recent reports, Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace have been seriously mulling over a move for the player.
Arsenal in Talks With Nottingham Forest for Eddie Nketiah
Crystal Palace Also Show Interest
According to The Athletic, Arsenal have rejected Nottingham Forest’s opening bid of £25 million for Nketiah. The Tricky Trees have reportedly made the striker their top target as they continue to hold discussions with the North London club and the player’s camp.
Crystal Palace are also interested in Nketiah and have held talks with Arsenal, though are not currently in talks anymore. They are behind Forest in the race for the Englishman.
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Arsenal expect a fee of £30-35 million for Nketiah. They have surprisingly proven to be tough negotiators as Marseille found out recently. The chances of the Gunners reducing their price demands appear quite slim.
Nketiah was the subject of transfer interest from multiple clubs recently, with Marseille coming the closest to securing his signature. However, the Ligue 1 side couldn’t meet Arsenal’s valuation, thus causing the deal to collapse.
Bournemouth held discussions with Arsenal to express their interest in Nketiah. However, talks ended after the Cherries opted to sign Evanilson from FC Porto for a club record £40 million.
Why Are Forest and Palace Interested in Eddie Nketiah?
Forest and Palace both need a striker to improve their attacking output, and Nketiah has always proven “reliable“ in that regard.
The former currently rely on the 32-year-old Chris Wood and the injury-ridden Taiwo Awoniyi to solve their attacking woes. Meanwhile, Nketiah is young, experienced, has a good injury record, and might thus be the right choice for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
The Reds were also targeting other forwards and had a bid for Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez rejected. It is unlikely that a deal would be struck for the Mexican as both clubs are far apart in valuation. Hence, the English club have shifted their attention completely towards Nketiah.
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Palace are looking for someone who can share the goalscoring burden with Jean-Philippe Mateta. The Frenchman had a remarkable league season in 2023/24 with 16 goals and five assists.
As things stand, the only way for Nketiah to leave North London is if a club is ready to pay the sum demanded by the Arsenal.
