Eddie Nketiah “is not the answer” for Arsenal in the long-term despite his recent form, according to club legend and pundit Kevin Campbell.
THE LOWDOWN: OUT OF CONTRACT
The Arsenal academy product is out of contract at the Emirates in June, and looks set to call time on his seven-year stay at the club.
He is free to talk to other clubs about a transfer this summer with talks of a new deal at the north London outfit said to be still on the table for the forward if he wants it.
The 22-year-old has recently been favoured above Alexandre Lacazette in the Gunners XI in recent weeks, scoring twice in the process as Arteta’s men are in the driving seat for a Champions League berth next season.
And the former Everton striker has provided his own personal assessment of the forward.
THE LATEST: NOT THE ANSWER
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, Campbell claimed the club need to sign “an upgrade” on the 22-year-old in the summer, suggesting that Darwin Nunez, Victor Osimhen or Gabriel Jesus should lead the line for Mikel Arteta’s side next season.
“It shows you what half a striker can do in that Arsenal team,” he said to Football Insider’s Dylan Childs.
“Nketiah has a bit of pace and can run in behind. In the second half I thought he stretched the pitch really well.
“You wouldn’t say Eddie is a top-class striker. If Nketiah was on the market, he is not one of the striker’s the club would be going for.
“Arsenal need to upgrade that position. As good as Nketiah is, he is not the answer.
“We need two strikers. We are talking about a Nunez, Osimhen or a Jesus. Nketiah didn’t score against West Ham despite the fact he had chances. The other three would have scored and that is the difference.
“No disrespect but Nketiah is not the answer. He is a fox in the box but he is not the answer. He needs to play games.”
THE VERDICT: FAIR ASSESSMENT
It is indeed a fair assessment made by Campbell on the fact that the club needs to recruit more quality in the forward areas this summer.
The former England U21 star and Lacazette have only managed to score six goals between them in the Premier League this season, whilst the likes of Darwin Nunez of Benfica has hit an astonishing 26 league goals, and Victor Osimhen has hit 13 for Napoli in Serie A.
It is evidently clear the north London club needs a consistent goalscoring striker to help them challenge the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea for the top prizes next season.
If the Gunners are to achieve that and reach new levels under Arteta, then they simply cannot rely on the exploits of Nketiah, who deserves to start games at a club where he’ll be allowed freedom to express himself elsewhere.
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