Crystal Palace have made an opening bid to bring Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah to Selhurst Park this summer.
The Eagles have been long-term admirers of Nketiah, but they just couldn’t broker a deal with the England striker before.
Nketiah will be allowed to leave the club this summer, and Palace have made an opening move, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Jean-Philippe Mateta has become a player reborn under Oliver Glasner, but Palace still need another top-quality striker to complement him.
Odsonne Edouard has cut a frustrating figure in the past 18 months, and it’s time for the Eagles to look for better options.
Nottingham Forest agreed £30 million deal with Arsenal for Nketiah this summer, but they couldn’t agree personal terms with him. The deal collapsed and it has opened the door for Palace to bring him to Selhurst Park.
Romano wrote on X: “Understand Crystal Palace have submitted an initial bid to Arsenal for Eddie Nketiah. Club to club talks now start after player opened door to Crystal Palace project on Sunday.”
After progressing through the youth ranks at Arsenal, Nketiah has done well for the Gunners, although he has mostly played as a second fiddle behind Gabriel Jesus.
He has scored 38 Premier League goals for the Gunners in 168 games in all competitions. The move should appeal to him, as he will not only stay in London but is expected to get regular games, which will boost his chances of playing for the national team.
Nketiah is a fantastic striker, and he would be a terrific addition to the club. He is at the stage of his career where he needs to play regularly. It also allows Arsenal to bring in a quality replacement, and the move suits all parties involved.
It is not clear what the details of the deal are, but it has been to around £30m figure to lure him away from the Emirates. Nketiah is open to joining Palace, and it is up to the two clubs to come to an agreement.
