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Eddie Nketiah set to leave Arsenal on free transfer at end of season after ‘REJECTING new contract offer’
EDDIE NKETIAH has told Arsenal that he wants to leave after rejecting a new contract this week.
The 22-year-old striker has become frustrated by his lack of first team opportunities and believes he needs a move to revive his faltering career.
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His current contract expires at the end of the season and a number of clubs including Borussia Moenchengladbach, Nice and Crystal Palace are monitoring his situation.
He was close to a move to Palace in the summer but the clubs could not agree a transfer fee.
Arsenal were also not prepared to allow him to go out on loan during the final year of his Emirates deal.
The England Under-21 international joined Arsenal in 2015 after being released by Chelsea and has scored 15 goals in 68 appearances in all competitions for the club since making his debut four years ago.
But the majority of those games have been as a substitute and he has not featured at all in the Premier League since April.
Manager Mikel Arteta recalled Nketiah early from a loan spell at Leeds shortly after taking over as manager but has since been unable to find a place in his team for the young South Londoner.
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Yet Arsenal are under no pressure to sell him in January as they will be due compensation for the player even if he runs his contract down because he graduated through their youth academy.
Arsenal boss Arteta has publicly declared his desire to hold on to the England U21 ace.
However, the youngster has barely featured under him so far this campaign, having made just two appearances for the first-team.
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And despite scoring in both of his outings in the Carabao Cup, the attacker is yet to play a single minute in the Premier League.
Nketiah has previously spent time away from the Emirates but things failed to work out for him.
But after three goals in 17 appearances at Leeds in the 2019/20 season, he grew fed-up of playing back-up to Patrick Bamford and returned to North London.
He was close to securing a transfer move to Crystal Palace during the summer window.
Only that deal fell through due to alleged disagreements over agent fees and personal terms.
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