Paul Merson says Eddie Nketiah won’t fire Arsenal back into the top-four and says the striker wouldn’t even start for Premier League rivals Fulham or Everton.
Nektiah made 92 first-team appearances and scored 23 goals since his first-team debut in 2017.
The 23-year-old finished last season in good form, starting Arsenal’s last eight league games and scoring five goals.
Nketiah agreed a new five-year contract with the Gunners last week, having finished the 2021-22 campaign in fine form, starting Arsenal’s last eight league games and netting five goals.
But Merson isn’t convinced that Nketiah can lead the line for Arsenal and says he wouldn’t start for Fulham or Everton.
‘All Arsenal have got up front right now is Eddie Nketiah, who recently signed a new contract when it looked like he might leave,’ Merson told the Daily Star.
‘And no disrespect to Nketiah but Mikel Arteta must realise he won’t get you into the top four. Absolutely no chance. That’s a fact.
‘Nketiah can’t be spearheading your Champions League push. He’s not getting in ahead of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison at Everton and they almost got relegated.
‘He’s not getting in at Fulham ahead of Aleksandr Mitrovic and they’ve only just been promoted.
I’m not having a go at him but he’s not getting you top four.’ Merson’s comments come as Arsenal close in on a £45m deal for Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus.
