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Leeds’s Angus Kinnear shares what Arsenal told him about Eddie Nketiah
Leeds United managing director Angus Kinnear that the Whites were told by Arsenal that Eddie Nketiah is a player that they want to be developed for first-team football at the Emirates when the two clubs agreed a deal for the striker in the summer.
Leeds fans wanted something special pulled out of the bag during the final hours of the transfer window. Kemar Roofe looked to be on his way out of Elland Road, leaving United short of options up front.
But the Championship side did manage to get that something special through the door. The club completed a season-long loan deal for the Gunners starlet.
The 20-year-old is still awaiting his first league start for Leeds. But the supporters have certainly had more than a glimpse of his talent in the opening weeks of his loan.
And judging by the conversation that Kinnear had with Arsenal about the striker when his loan was being discussed, his form will have come as absolutely no surprise to anyone in the Leeds or Gunners hierarchy.
High hopes for Eddie
“Eddie scores goals for fun. It’s a very, very competitive process to get that type of player, he’s very expensive for a loan. He’s held in huge regard by Arsenal,” .
“When we spoke to Arsenal about him, we asked them, ‘is this a player you want us to develop so you can sell him?’ And they said, ‘no, this is a player we want you to develop so he can come back and play first-team football for Arsenal’.
“And that’s where Marcelo and his coaching staff give us a competitive advantage, because, versus some of the other clubs he could have joined, I don’t think there’s a safer pair of hands to entrust him to then Marcelo.”
Nketiah has scored four goals in six appearances for Leeds. What makes his form all the more remarkable is that he is still awaiting that first league start.
And he has already shown that he can score important goals. He broke the deadlock in the 84th minute against Barnsley at the weekend, and scored the winner against Brentford last month.
It looks to be a matter of time before Nketiah gets that first league start. And, so far, it is looking inevitable that he will head straight into the Arsenal first-team fold when his loan at Leeds comes to an end.