Gabby Agbonlahor has told Arsenal to accept they made a £100,000-a-week mistake and cut their losses on a player not up to the Gunners’ levels in the transfer window.
This summer could be a period of upheaval in north London as Mikel Arteta looks to reshape his ranks. Arsenal have so far only welcomed Tommy Setford to the club as an Under-21 gem as a new recruit. David Raya also finalised a permanent transfer from Brentford this summer.
Arteta is considering a huge revamp at Emirates Stadium after Arsenal finished second in the Premier League standings once again. They have ended the last two terms as the runner-up, so Arteta is desperate to get Arsenal over the hump and clinch their first title since 2003/04.
Arsenal must accept Marseille target Eddie Nketiah is ‘not that guy’
A new striker has regularly been among Arteta’s priorities with a flurry of names linked with transfers to Arsenal this summer. Forwards have also been linked with moves away from N5, with Eddie Nketiah one to earn interest as talks with Marseille regarding a transfer continue.
Chris Wheatley reports that Marseille are in advanced talks with Arsenal about a deal to sign Nketiah. But the Ligue 1 giant has so far only tabled a loan move with a €20m (£17m) option to buy. Arsenal will only grant any loan if Marseille include a €30m (£25m) obligation to buy.
Now, Agbonlahor believes Arsenal must accept they made a mistake with Nketiah as the 25-year-old is not at the levels Arteta requires. He does not feel the forward has lived up to the £100k-a-week contract Arsenal gave Nketiah in June 2022, along with their fabled #14 shirt.
Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT (23/7, 16:28): “If I am Arsenal, I am saying, ‘Nketiah, we gave you £100,000-a-week [and] we gave you Thierry Henry’s number. You are not that guy, and that’s okay. It hasn’t worked’.
“He is still a Premier League player but a mid-table Premier League striker. Arsenal, Gabriel Jesus and him are not the answer.”
Eddie Nketiah has scored nine goals in 57 Premier League games since signing his contract
Arsenal agreed to give Nketiah the #14 shirt that Henry made iconic in N5 as the striker was otherwise a free agent from July 2022. But the Hale End product has only scored nine goals in 57 Premier League appearances since putting pen to paper on a contract until June 2027.
READ MORE: Arsenal 24/25 confirmed signings, transfers in and out, loan exits and releases
Nketiah provided five of those nine goals through 27 appearances during the 2023/24 term. But to further support Agbonlahor’s stance that the one-cap England star is not who Arteta needs, Nketiah failed to score again following a hat-trick against Sheffield United in October.
He went 17 appearances without a goal after recording the Arsenal academy product’s first Premier League hat-trick. Arteta even left Nketiah on the bench as an unused substitute for each of Arsenal’s final six games and 10 of their last 16 to see out the Premier League term.
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