EDDIE NKETIAH could be on his way back to Arsenal early from a season-long loan if Leeds do not start giving him more game time.
The England Under-21 star could be recalled to the Gunners, having not started a single game in the Championship so far.
On-loan striker Eddie Nketiah unhappy with the lack of game time for Leeds this season but scored a hat-trick for England Under-21sCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The 10 league appearances he HAS made have been coming on from the bench.
Despite this, the 20-year-old who has recently come back from an abdominal injury that sidelined him for the past month, has scored five goals.
Arsenal can cut short the loan spell in January if he has not played enough minutes for Leeds.
And The Mirror report that Marcelo Bielsa’s side are already looking for replacements, although they hope Arsenal will allow him to stay in Yorkshire.
Nketiah returns to training today, but has in the recent past expressed his unhappiness about his current situation especially after such a strong performance for the England Under-21 team.
After scoring a hat-trick against Austria last month, he said; ”It’s been disappointing for me not to start in the league, I went there to play games and get games. It’s early times.
”I think every time I’ve come on I’ve done well and shown why I think I should be playing.
”I think Austria was a good statement and a good way for me to put across a performance and hopefully I’ll be starting in the next run of games.
”I feel like I probably haven’t been given the chances I would have liked, I would have liked to play a lot more minutes.
”But I feel like every time I come on I’ve done well and now I’m still one of the top scorers, if not the top scorer in the team, with such limited time so I don’t think I could do much more than that.
”Obviously I’m never going to be totally happy if I’m not playing because I’m proud player, I believe I should be playing and I always want to be playing so I’ll never be happy with not playing”.
Eddie Nketiah celebrates scoring for Leeds against BarnsleyCredit: PA:Press Association
Leeds are keeping an eye out for Nketiah replacements at the moment and due to the fact that they’ve not given the youngster much game-time, a January return to the Emirates Stadium.
However, Leeds reportedly feel Nketiah is a key part of the team who are pushing for promotion and are heard to have stated they still believe his game-time will increase during the busy period between now and January.
But Victor Orta, Leeds United director, isn’t sitting around and waiting for Arsenal to take him back.
He is reportedly actively looking elsewhere for alternative striker options to minimise the worst case scenario.
Leeds’ number one striker comes in the form of Patrick Bamford who has scored six Championship goals so far this season.
Nketiah has had to accept playing his supporting role.
Former Chelsea and Middlesbrough forward Bamford has also scored twice in four games, that Nketiah was forced to miss.
Those games against Luton and Reading have been four important wins for Leeds as it boosts their promotion chances.
Eddie Nketiah’s winner for Leeds sparks Arsenal legend Ian Wright to join ‘Eddie, Eddie, Eddie’ chants at Elland Road
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
