Leeds United might have crashed out of the Carabao Cup recently, but they will remain the heavy favourites to move up to the Premier League. The Whites had an average transfer window according to us as they let go of some of their crucial players and only managed to sign their replacements on loan.
However, as we have seen in the last two season with Wolves and Aston Villa, signing players on loan in the Championship is an effective way to bolster the squad. The clubs can then go ahead and sign the on-loan players permanently once they get the riches of the Premier League.
Eddie Nketiah has been one such signing for United this season, and the young forward has already started to deliver by scoring crucial goals. He is yet to establish himself as a starter, but the Arsenal man has been able to make a significant impact from the bench.
Bent on Nketiah’s future
Former England striker Darren Bent recently suggested that the Whites might be able to get the 20-year-old permanently once his loan spell expires. Speaking to Football Insider, he said, ”If he’s not going to get the opportunities at Arsenal, you never know (about a permanent move), if he impresses at Leeds and gets them up, you never know. I believe he can score goals at the highest level.”
”It’s just about him taking his opportunity and scoring when he’s given the chance, which he’s done. For Bielsa, it’s a great headache to have, for the players, it keeps them on their toes, keeps them hungry.”
Will Leeds United have a chance?
There is no doubt that he is a bright prospect and Nketiah seems to be a natural goal scorer. The Englishman is sharp with his movement and can get in the right place at the right time more often than not. However, we believe that Arsenal also must rate him highly and he has made 19 senior team appearances for them already.
If Nketiah goes on to have a big season for the Whites, Arsenal would definitely want to give him a go in the first team at some point. However, the problem for the Gunners is that they have two terrific forwards in Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang.
As long as those two are fit and available, Nketiah will struggle for game time at the Emirates. Therefore one cannot completely rule out a possible permanent move by Leeds United next summer. It goes without saying that the Whites will only stand a chance of signing him if they manage to make it to the Premier League.
