“It was like a home for me” - Eddie Nketiah opens up on his decision to leave Arsenal last summer
Crystal Palace forward Eddie Nketiah revealed why he left Arsenal in the summer. The Englishman considered the north London side his home, but made the decision to move for the betterment of his career.
Nketiah joined Arsenal from Chelsea as a 16-year-old in 2015. After honing his trade in the youth set-up for two seasons, he was promoted to the first team.
The striker, however, couldn't break into the team regularly and went out on loan to Leeds United for the 2019-20 season. With Mikel Arteta opting for Kai Havertz or Gabriel Jesus up top ahead of Nketiah, he decided to move on in the summer.
Nketiah joined Palace this summer in a deal worth £25 million with another £5 million in add-ons after making 168 appearances for the Gunners where he scored 38 goals.
The 25-year-old opened up about his move to Palace club media, calling Arsenal his "home."
"Obviously, I’ve been at Arsenal for 11 years, so it was like a home for me. But leaving, you just want to take that next step in your career," Nketiah said.
The forward added that the history of player development at the Eagles left him impressed and was a big factor in him choosing the London side as his next club.
"I think Crystal Palace is a wonderful place. I’ve seen a lot of players develop and take the next step in their career here – so that’s what I want to do. I want to improve. I want to play more minutes, and hopefully help the team as much as I can. I’m just going to build on it – and the more I play, the better I’m going to get," he shared.
At Crystal Palace, Eddie Nketiah has started all the matches since he signed and even opened his account with a goal in their 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Queens Park Rangers.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta praises 'amazing role model' Kai Havertz
Eddie Nketiah's progression at Arsenal was halted due to the emergence of former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz's role as a number 9. The German plays as a false striker for Mikel Arteta, allowing their wingers Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli,and Leandro Trossard to get inside the box often.
Speaking at the press conference ahead of the Gunners' return to Premier League action away to Bournemouth, Arteta praised the 25-year-old as an "amazing role model."
"He [Havertz] delivered that day [away to Bournemouth last season]. Everything started to click, since then the story is unbelievable. His involvement in every match and what he produces to help us win matches is incredible and it is very positive," the Spaniard said.
"I think he is an amazing role model. The way he behaves every day, the way he is as a person, the way he lives his life, how much he loves to play football. Part of that level is to handle and manage difficult situations. I think he is an amazing example of that," he added.
Kai Havertz signed for Arsenal from Chelsea in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth £65 million. He has scored 20 goals in 61 appearances for the club since then, including six goals this season.