Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah is close to completing a move to Crystal Palace, with the South London club close to agreeing a deal to sign the 25-year-old forward.
Arsenal is expected to accept the £25 million deal, with potential £5 million add-ons.
According to The Athletic, Nketiah is set to join Crystal Palace for the 2024/25 season, and no personal terms are expected to be an issue. Reports on Sunday suggested Palace had been considering a move for the striker and held talks with Arsenal earlier this summer.
Nketiah had been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium all summer, having previously been linked with a move to Marseille. However, the French club failed to meet Arsenal’s valuation, leading to a breakdown in talks. A subsequent attempt to join Nottingham Forest also failed, despite the two clubs agreeing a transfer fee of £30m.
The striker has struggled to secure a place in the Arsenal first team in recent seasons and has yet to play a competitive match this season despite taking part in pre-season training. Although Nketiah signed a new contract with Arsenal in June 2022, extending his stay until 2027, his playing time appears to be limited, even with Gabriel Jesus out injured.
Crystal Palace currently only have two senior strikers at Selhurst Park following Jordan Ayew’s move to Leicester City during the transfer window. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has expressed a desire to strengthen his attacking options with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard before the transfer window closes on Friday.
While Mateta has performed well in the 2023/24 season, scoring 19 goals in 39 appearances, the Mail reports that Palace may fund Nketiah’s acquisition by selling Edouard, with his former club Celtic reportedly interested in a reunion.
With the transfer deadline approaching, Palace are also said to be stepping up their pursuit of Wolfsburg’s Maxence Lacroix and maintaining their interest in Wolves’ Rayan Ait Nouri as Glasner looks to strengthen his squad after a difficult start to the 2024/25 campaign.
