Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott has 'advised' Mikel Arteta on the future of Eddie Nketiah ahead of the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old striker sees his contract with the north London side expire in the summer, and is set to leave for free in the coming months.
Nketiah has impressed lately for the Gunners and has quickly grown into a key piece in Arteta's puzzle amid the race for Champions League qualification. The Hale End graduate has taken over the mantle as Arsenal's primary talisman and has now scored more Premier League goals from open play this season than Alexandre Lacazette, who too is set to leave at the end of the season on a free.
With a striker exodus on the cards at the Emirates this summer, Walcott labelled the former England youth international a 'very good player' that Arteta could make use of in the future. Speaking on Sky Sports, the former Gunner said: "I remember when Eddie (Nketiah) first came across to the first team, and the first thing that struck me was that he was fearless.
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"A very good player, a very good finisher, and of course going out on loan is going to turn him into a better player," Walcott added. "I am glad he has got his opportunity now not so much because of his finishing, but because of his pressing and he gets his rewards, like he did against Leeds last week.
"I feel like Mikel is one of those managers that will reward you from what he sees from you in training. I played briefly with him, and he is a hard worker. At the moment, he is reaping the rewards."
However, Arteta must look to act on Walcott's admission in swift fashion. Nketiah has been linked with an exit from Arsenal, having also courted interest in the previous two transfer windows.
According to Sky Sports in January, Crystal Palace have had a second bid for Nketiah rejected by the Gunners. The Eagles reportedly made an offer for the striker that was turned down, as well as one during the summer window.
The report also claimed that Bundesliga outfit Bayer Leverkusen had been following the 22-year-old and were monitoring his availability. However, football.london understands that Arsenal still remain optimistic that Nketiah will sign a new contract, despite having previously rejected several offers.
