Arsenal have recently confirmed their squad that will compete in the UEFA Europa League knockout rounds. The new signings in Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares have joined the list, along with Eddie Nketiah, who returned to Emirates in January, after a short loan spell at Leeds United.
In this article, we will discuss whether or not Nketiah will be able to make a mark in the Arsenal first-team during the remainder of this campaign.
Nketiah’s loan spell at Leeds United
In order to figure out Nketiah’s credibility at the highest level of football, it is essential to analyse his performances in his earlier loan spell at Leeds United.
During his time in the Championship this season, the striker featured in 17 league outings, during which he scored just three goals. However, out of those 17 appearances, only two of them were starts. This comes as no surprise, given how stubborn Bielsa was in persisting with Patrick Bamford even when he was going through a particularly dry goal scoring run.
The ex-Chelsea star has impressed with his overall work-rate as well as productivity. But despite getting limited game time, the Arsenal youngster did show glimpses of his brilliance, at times. And even though Nketiah has only netted three goals, his time at Leeds has undoubtedly helped him gain more exposure to senior football.
Nketiah’s scope in the Arsenal team
Arsenal already boast the services of the phenomenal attacking duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette. So on paper, it seems like unlikely that Nketiah will be able to make his breakthrough during the remainder of the campaign.
However, Aubameyang didn’t look sharp after returning from his three-game suspension while Lacazette, despite impressing the onlookers with his work-rate, has failed to provide productivity under Mikel Arteta. The Frenchman is yet to score a single Premier League goal since early December.
And given the role he has played under Arteta, Lacazette always remains a candidate to be subbed off late in the game. That’s where Nketiah could come into the fray, especially with Aubameyang operating in a wide-attacking role.
But one thing is for sure, the youngster has the talent to become a key asset in the Arsenal attack. But, he needs to remain a bit patient in his bid to make a breakthrough. Next season, in particular, Nketiah could enjoy a more prominent role in the first-team, especially if Aubameyang indeed departs Arsenal in the summer transfer window.
In the meantime, it will be interesting to see how Nketiah performs, should he feature in the Europa League this season.
