OPINION
Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah has been urged to leave the Gunners on loan this January by club legend Tony Adams – and Aston Villa need to be pouncing on his talents this month.
The 19-year-old was given the nod to lead the line in the Londoners 3-0 win over Blackpool in the FA Cup third round on Saturday evening, but former captain Adams believes that he needs to seek regular first team opportunities elsewhere.
Speaking as a pundit on BT Sport, he said: “I don’t think he is [going to get chances]. I think the manager would go with Ramsey running from deep off of Aubameyang or Lacazette up there with Aubameyang and he’s not going to the games that are necessary.
“How many games do you need to have at Arsenal to actually develop? Three or four games are not enough. They stagnate, they go backwards. They’re all looking out for a loan as a next step as it were.”
Adams is on the money with his assessment of Nketiah’s situation, and if there’s one side who could offer him the perfect destination for him to learn his trade it is Villa.
Much has been made of Tammy Abraham’s potential departure, as reported by the BBC, but even if the striker were to stay at Villa Park, Nketiah would be the ideal player to support him and ease some of the goalscoring pressure in their hunt for a top six finish.
Should Abraham go, Villa will need a new forward, and the Gunners’ academy product would fit the bill perfectly.
His performance against Blackpool showcased all of the positives about his game – his intelligent movement, his willingness to run in behind – and while he did miss a couple of good chances, with game time and confidence he would have no doubt buried them.
It would be a show of faith from Villa to take a gamble on him, but it would be a gamble that could pay off massively.