The football landscape in London appears on the brink of a major reshuffle. The latest reports suggest that Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah might soon find himself sporting the hues of cross-city rivals Crystal Palace.
Nketiah, earning £100,000 a week, is seemingly being nudged toward the exit door as Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta is reportedly looking to pare down his lineup, with Nketiah not figuring prominently in his plans. The anticipated arrival of Chelsea's Kai Havertz will likely push Nketiah further toward the periphery.
Crystal Palace had demonstrated interest in Nketiah previously, but the plans were shelved due to an injury predicament at Arsenal. It appears their interest in the forward remains unabated.
The anticipated departure of Wilf Zaha from Crystal Palace necessitates new attacking prowess, and Nketiah fits the bill. Having scored 16 goals in 17 games for England Under 21s, Nketiah's goal scoring credentials are undisputable. Even amid injury contingencies, he managed four goals for the Arsenal first team this season, two of them proving crucial in a 3-2 win over Manchester United.
Crystal Palace, coming off an 11th-place finish last season, may look to Nketiah to spearhead their challenge for European football. However, it might require them to shell out £30 million or more for the young talent, who still has four years left on his contract.
Another potential Arsenal exit is Folarin Balogun, who recently pledged his international allegiance to the USA. He has attracted interest from several clubs, including Crystal Palace, following a successful loan stint at Reims. There is speculation that either Balogun or Nketiah might be let go, or possibly both, depending on the offers on the table.
Meanwhile, Saudi clubs have reportedly set their valuation for Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey at €40m (£34.4m). Despite his excellent form, Partey, an aging midfield dynamo, doesn't appear to be part of Arteta's future plans. Partey's possible departure, after signing from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for £45m, could result in a loss exceeding £10m for Arsenal.
As the team seeks to revamp its midfield, Arsenal has also reportedly been in positive negotiations with West Ham for Declan Rice, despite having two bids rejected.
With Partey and Granit Xhaka likely to leave, Arsenal plans to inject creativity and goals into the final third with the signing of Havertz for £67.5 million ($85.8m). He is expected to fill Xhaka's No. 8 role. The potential £100m-plus acquisition of Declan Rice should provide stability in deeper midfield, replacing Partey's box-to-box role.
With the quest to bolster their midfield still underway, Arsenal has considered Southampton's Romeo Lavia and Everton's Onana as potential signings after their failure to land Brighton's Moises Caicedo. Despite Everton's struggles, Onana's physical presence, aerial prowess, and ability to disrupt, intercept, and carry the ball forward could make him an intriguing prospect.
