Eddie Nketiah admits one thing at Arsenal has been ‘tough’ for him amid uncertain future

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Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah started the season well, but has found himself out of the team in recent months.

Nketiah has not started a single game in 2024, and with Mikel Arteta’s side in blistering form going forward, there is little prospect of him coming back in before the end of the season.

The one-time England International looks highly likely to leave the club in the summer, with Crystal Palace among the clubs linked, and Arsenal may hope to receive a substantial fee for him given his age, contract length and status as a Premier League-proven English striker.

Nketiah has now opened up on his current situation at Arsenal and highlighted the difficulty of playing as a centre-forward under Arteta, given what the Spaniard demands from his central strikers.

Eddie Nketiah highlights difficulty of Arsenal striker role

Speaking to The Telegraph, Nketiah explained why the difficulty of playing as a striker for Arsenal has helped him improve his all-round game.

“It’s a tough role, but something I enjoy playing,” he stated of the striker role.

“I think it all depends on the type of game and what the manager wants, where the spaces will be. You can have good days and bad days, but I try to give my best to help the team every time I step out there.

“I’m at a stage in my career where I’m comfortable dropping deeper, coming to feet and arriving in goal-scoring positions – but also being on the shoulder of the last man because I can get in behind to threaten defences.”

Does Eddie Nketiah suit Arsenal’s current system?

Nketiah is arguably underrated, and often not given enough credit for the way he has developed his overall game in the last two seasons.

He was outstanding at the start of the season, earning his England call-up after starting the first few games and delivering both in front of goal and in build-up.

However, it has become clear that Nketiah’s style is a poor fit for what Arteta wants from his strikers. In Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, he has two options who either offer top-class technical ability in build-up, or supreme physicality in the air.

Nketiah is a striker who would thrive in a counter-attacking side where he has space to run in behind, but when dominating possession, there are games which he leaves a lot to be desired on the ball, and Arsenal’s chance creation, which mostly comes through build-up rather than fast breaks and crosses, does not allow him to get on the end of many big chances, which the other forwards might find easier.