Arsenal have welcomed midfielder Mikel Merino and are saying goodbye to striker, Eddie Nketiah, who is set to join Crystal Palace following the completion of medical checks at the South London club.
The Gunners need attacking reinforcements with only an injured Gabriel Jesus and the versatile midfielder Kai Havertz, who is taking on a centre-forward/false 9 role at the club this season. They are in the market for strikers with links to Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyökeres and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen being the most prominent. However, the time for those signings is fast running out, which is why their decision to let go of a useful squad player like Nketiah has confused some sections of fans.
Nketiah has now left Arsenal to make progress on his move to Crystal Palace according to The Athletic, with medicals being the first thing he is scheduled for. Arsenal will receive a £25 million fee for the player and £5 million in add-ons depending on certain milestones reached. Nketiah will become the Eagles’ fourth signing of the season after Chadi Riad, Ismaila Sarr and Daichi Kamada.
Nketiah will leave Arsenal after 168 total appearances in which he scored 38 goals across all competitions. This will bring an end to a seven-year stint with the North London club, who he joined as a teenager in 2015. He spent two years in their academy before making his debut in the 2017/18 season. He spent one year on loan at Leeds United before returning to the Emirates where he has formed a part of many squads until now.
Palace are also in talks to sign Jakub Kiwior from Arsenal. The Poland international is currently surplus to requirements thanks to the return of Jurrien Timber and the signing of Riccardo Calafiori. He is expected to leave the Emirates soon but there have been no reports of interested suitors until now.
Palace are eyeing the polish, who is a top-notch player as they look to replace Marc Guehi, whose departure from Selhurst Park this summer is believed to be inevitable. Palace have also lost Joachim Andersen and will need another cover which makes Kiwior’s signing a sensible chase.
They may have competition from Bologna, who lost Calafiori to Arsenal. The Italian side are also believed to be in talks with the Gunners to take their polish defender to replace Calafiori and a move for Kiwior to Italy is believed to be gaining more strength than a move to South London.
It all depends on the Kiwior, however, who has stated in the past that he enjoys playing in the Premier League. He could easily move to Palace along with Nketiah for the 2024/25 season and beyond.
