Leeds United were reportedly ‘quietly optimistic’ of signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah until he opted to sign a new deal at the Emirates. That is according to the Athletic, who claim that all the signs had pointed towards Nketiah’s exit from Arsenal this summer with Leeds hopeful that he would’ve opted for a move to Elland Road.
Nketiah was initially looking to leave Arsenal in search of regular game time that he had found difficult to come by until the final two months of the season. Mikel Arteta handed him eight consecutive Premier League starts in the run-in, in which he netted five goals.
The 23-year-old had started none of the previous 30 prior to that run of starts, which had pushed him towards the exit door. Crystal Palace, West Ham United and a couple of unnamed Bundesliga clubs were all chasing this summer, but it was Leeds who were reportedly confident Nketiah would’ve chosen.
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And while Nketiah’s new deal at Arsenal is not yet confirmed, various outlets including the Athletic have reported that he is set to sign a new five-year deal. That will come as a blow for Leeds, who appear to be in the market for a new striker after Patrick Bamford’s injury nightmare last season.
New York City’s Valentin Castellanos and Red Bull Salzburg’s Junior Adamu are other names who have been linked in the last week, however nothing appears to be advanced at the moment. Adamu would become the third player from the Austrian champions to make the switch to Elland Road this summer, with Brenden Aaronson already signed and Rasmus Kristensen on the verge of joining him.
