Eddie Nketiah’s flourish in form of late couldn’t have come at a better time for Arsenal. The Champions League-chasing Gunners have been struggling for goals since the drop in form and subsequent departure of forward Pierre-EmerickAubameyang to Barcelona earlier this season.
Nketiah’s meteoric rise since his admission to the starting line-up against Chelsea has been both a relief and a blessing for Arsenal fans around the world.
Following three defeats in succession to Crystal Palace, Brighton and Southampton, Arsenal fans' dreams of a return to Champions League football were all but over considering their next three fixtures were current Champions League holders, long-time rivals Manchester United and a high-flying West Ham side who were amidst a barnstorming European run.
However, in stepped young Nketiah for the out of form Alexander Lacazette, who took no time repaying the faith Mike Arteta had displayed in starting the England under 21s record goalscorer in, arguably, Arsenal’s most important fixture this season.
four goals and three-man of the match performances later and the young Gunner has not only cemented his place leading Arsenal’s line, but also created huge speculation regarding his future.
With Nketiah’s contract set to run its cause in the following month, the striker will certainly not be short of suitors following his surge in form as of late. Arsenal are keen to re-sign the player who has been at the club since the age of 15.
Before this season Nketiah had struggled to amass a decent run of games and with that any real form, following an unsuccessful spell at Leeds two seasons ago, when they were in the Championship, he was often left on the bench and since then the striker has barely had the opportunity to start more than two games in a row, something he vented his frustration at earlier this season.
His recent form certainly gives Arteta and the Arsenal hierarchy a headache on how to handle his current contract situation, given he will clearly want to be a first-team player somewhere, only time will tell if Arteta has the faith to offer him that role at Arsenal.
Equally, given the relatively quiet season for English strikers, bar Tammy Abraham’s barn-storming season for Roma in the Italy, there are few distant shouts for an England call up for the young gunner.
If Nketiah’s form continues there is no question Gareth Southgate will consider the forward ahead of players like Danny Ings, Ollie Watkins and Dominic Calvert-Lewin who have all suffered dips in form this season.
It would be a meteoric rise if we are to see Eddie on the plane to Qatar this winter, but given his ability to run in behind as well as his clear eye for goal, he would certainly make an interesting option as a backup to Harry Kane in that England squad.
Only time will tell in terms of what the future holds for Nketiah, but many Arsenal fans will certainly be longing for his form to continue as they face their most important clash of the season, away to Tottenham this Thursday.
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