Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shockingly admitted that he “has not been fair” to Eddie Nketiah by not giving the Ghana-target more playing time despite his heroics in training.
The Spanish manager was forced into the stunning admission on Wednesday night after the young striker scored twice in a rare start to stun Chelsea in the English Premier League clash.
The performance of the youngster, who this week admitted that he is considering to switch nationality from England to play for Ghana, has sparked concerns among the Gunners leadership that he won’t renew his expiring contract.
The 22-year-old, who is out of contract this summer, scored two fine goals at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night in only his second Premier League start of the season.
Nketiah this week publicly expressed frustration at his lack of game time at Arsenal and questioned his future at the club which seems to have forced Arteta to admit that he has not been fair to the youngster of Ghanaian descent.
“I should have been playing him more,” Arteta told BBC Sport.
“I said to him I haven’t been fair.”
Arsenal have been in talks with Nketiah over a new contract but the striker demanded assurance over regular playing time before he can commit to the Gunners with a new deal.
“There have been talks and offers of a new contract but at the moment my aim is to play football and play regularly,” he told The Beautiful Game.
“That’s my ambition and that’s what I hope to do but at the same time I’m at Arsenal, I love Arsenal.”
The Ghana-eligible attacker has made just seven starts for Arsenal this season with the first Premier League appearance for this term coming in Saturday’s match at Southampton.
He was behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette but the former’s January departure to Barcelona and the Frenchman’s absence because of Covid has given him an opportunity.
His double at Chelsea came a year and two days since his last Premier League goal in a 1-1 draw against Fulham.
“What Eddie has done tonight is because of what he has done for the last 10 months and no-one has noticed,” added Arteta.
“We have other issues as well and that has not been easy. But he deserved completely what happened to him tonight.”
Despite being the record England U21 goalscorer, Nketiah has been ignored for call-ups into the England senior team.
As he is yet to be capped at senior level for the Three Lions, he is qualified to make the switch and play for Ghana through his family.
The London-born forward has played for both the England U17 and U21 sides, scoring 16 international goals for the latter.
The young footballer is British by birth but his parents are not from England which provides the opportunity for him to switch and play for the Black Stars.
Nketiah looks to be eyeing the chance of playing for Ghana as he is more likely to play regularly for the Black Stars.
That is because he is less likely to play for senior national team of England where there’s an embarrassment of riches in his position.
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