NEWCASTLE are ready to snap up Arsenal young gun Eddie Nketiah on a season-long loan deal, according to reports.
Toon boss Steve Bruce is a big fan of the England Under-21 striker, who spent the first half of last season at Leeds United in the Championship.
Newcastle want highly-rated Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah in a season-long loan dealCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Bruce needs to lift his side after a dire pre-season.
They lost 1-0 to Stoke yesterday at St James’ Park.
That followed the shock 5-1 reverse to neighbours Middlesbrough.
But the Magpies face a struggle to convince Gunners boss Mikel Arteta to let Nketiah go – after he forced his way into the Spaniard’s first-team plans.
With Alexandre Lacazette looking likely to leave in a £30million deal, Arteta needs back up for talisman Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, £72m Pepe and youngster Gabriel Martinelli in attack.
However, according to The Telegraph, that will not stop Bruce trying to convince Arteta that Nketiah can progress with a season playing for his first team in the top flight.
Bruce also wants Arsenal centre-half Rob Holding on a season-long loan deal.
The Toon chief needs to spark up his attack after the disastrous year for £40m record buy Joelinton.
The Brazilian only scored TWO Premier League goals and ended up warming the bench for the second half of the campaign.
With the Newcastle takeover looking dead in the water, Bruce must use all his nous to shape his squad on a shoestring budget.
And that is why Nketiah fits the bill.
He hardly started at Leeds but impressed after lockdown at the Emirates.
The 21-year-old scored four goals in 17 appearances, a figure that impressed former Aston Villa, Sunderland and Sheffield United chief Bruce.
He has already agreed a £13.5m deal with Norwich for left-back Jamal Lewis.
That follows the free signing of Burnley midfielder Jeff Hendrick and re-signing of Toon Academy starlet Matty Longstaff.
Newcastle takeover OFF after Saudi Arabia consortium pull out of £300m deal 17-weeks after registering paperwork
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
