Arsenal striker wanted by Championship outfit?

Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah emerges as a summer transfer target for Leicester City, according to a report.

Leicester City have reportedly joined the race to sign Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah during this summer’s transfer window.
The 24-year-old has been a regular for the Gunners during the 2023-24 campaign, featuring on 34 occasions in all competitions, but he has only managed six goals and three assists this term.

Nketiah penned a new contract at the Emirates Stadium in June 2022, with his current terms running until June 2027, but he is widely expected to move on this summer in search of regular action.

The Englishman has only played 24 minutes of Premier League football in Arsenal’s last four matches, and Mikel Arteta’s side are likely to spend big on a new centre-forward in the upcoming market.

Crystal Palace and Brentford are among the current Premier League clubs said to be interested in signing Nketiah during this summer’s transfer window.

Nketiah viewed as potential replacement for Vardy

However, according to FootballTransfers, Leicester are also firmly in the race, with the Foxes eyeing Nketiah as a possible replacement for Jamie Vardy.

The 37-year-old is again Leicester’s top scorer this season, finding the back of the net on 16 occasions in 30 appearances, but he only has a contract at the King Power Stadium until the end of June.

Vardy’s departure would open up a significant amount of space in the wage budget, which the Championship outfit could allegedly use to bring in Nketiah for the 2024-25 campaign.

Leicester are bidding to return to the Premier League for next season, with Enzo Maresca’s side currently third in the Championship table, one point behind second-placed Leeds United.

The Foxes have seen their significant lead at the top of the table evaporate, but they have a game in hand on both Leeds and leaders Ipswich Town, who are two points above the Foxes.

How has Nketiah performed at Arsenal?
Nketiah has been with Arsenal since 2015, progressing to first-team level in 2017, and he has represented the Gunners on 165 occasions in all competitions, scoring 38 goals and registering seven assists.

The forward had a loan spell at Leeds United during the 2019-20 campaign, managing five goals and one assist in 19 appearances, but he has otherwise spent his career at the Emirates Stadium.

Nketiah has scored once in five Champions League outings, while his Premier League record stands at 19 goals and five assists in 114 appearances in the competition.

The Englishman has come up with five goals in the Premier League this season, with the Gunners chasing the title, although three of those came in one match against Sheffield United at the end of October.

Nketiah has not actually scored in England’s top flight since the clash with the Blades, and it does appear that a change of scenery will occur this summer, with Leicester certainly an intriguing option for the forward if the Foxes are able to secure a return to the Premier League.

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