Exclusive: Arsenal tell star he is free to find new club with three Premier League rivals interested

TEAMtalk can reveal that Arsenal are willing to let striker Eddie Nketiah leave in the summer, with Premier League sides Crystal Palace, Fulham and Brentford all considering a move. 

Arsenal are pushing to win the Premier League for the first time since 2004 and currently sit top of the table in a fierce battle with Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Gunners may be focused on becoming champions, but work is also underway to revamp their squad in the transfer window this summer.

Mikel Arteta has identified Nketiah as a player he can afford to lose, with the club having already been open to his sale in the January market.

Arsenal did not sanction a move in the mid-season window, though, as they were unable to find a suitable deal for a top replacement in attack.

A new star striker remains on the radar this summer as Brentford talisman Ivan Toney continues to be heavily linked, with the Gunners keen to add a world class option up front.

Nketiah has been at the club since his youth after being signed as a boy from the Chelsea academy and his hope is to stay put and fight for his place at the Emirates.

However, the 24-year-old may not get his wish, with the Arsenal hierarchy looking at ways to raise funds and give themselves FFP breathing room for new additions to the squad.

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Crystal Palace looks the most likely destination for Nketiah

Sources say Crystal Palace maintain a firm interest in the striker and believe they can agree a deal, with the Eagles having had an enquiry turned down in January.

The South London club only moved to enquire after being given signals that, if Nketiah is to move, Palace is a possible option.

Staying in London is clearly a priority for the English striker and Fulham and Brentford have also looked in his direction and added him as a potential target for the summer.

At this stage, it is understood Palace have done the most work on a possible deal for the striker, who has scored six goals in 32 games across all competitions this season.

Nketiah’s agents are working hard in the background to try and source the best possible option for him in the summer, with the prospect of staying at Arsenal a possibility as his contract does not expire until the summer of 2027.

However, if he is to stay, his playing time will likely be limited — with Arteta and his team on the hunt for a new number nine to help them establish themselves among the elite in England and Europe.

Nketiah, who has been capped once by England, has scored 38 times in 163 appearances for Arsenal since breaking into the senior side in 2017.

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