Arsenal put faith in Nketiah with five-year deal - is the striker ready to lead the line next season?

Arsenal made it clear for the world just how much they valued young striker Eddie Nketiah on Saturday, when the club not only announced that the 22-year-old talent had signed a new five-year deal but that he would also be handed a famous shirt number in the process. Moving from No.30 to No.14 not only indicated that Nketiah would be playing a more prominent role in Mikel Arteta’s first team next season, but also that he would be wearing the same shirt worn by club legend Thierry Henry. 

“I’m delighted Eddie is staying with us,” said Arteta in a statement on the club website. “He represents what we are all about and all the values of the club. We are very happy that he has extended his contract and now we have to get to work and continue to develop the great talent and person that we have in him.” The club’s technical director, Edu, echoed a similar sentiment. “Eddie was released by another club as a young man but has always shown he has the attitude as well as the ability to become a top player,” said the former midfielder. “The fact he’s signed a new contract is an important part of our squad planning for next season and we’re all delighted.”

However, while Arsenal may be delighted with their ability to keep Nketiah at the club, the hard work now begins with a huge amount of pressure not only on the player due to the number he’s inherited but also because the young Englishman is currently the only striker in Arteta’s team, as things stand. So how good is the 22-year-old forward and is he good enough to lead Arsenal’s attacking line next season? 

A star at youth level - but is Nketiah ready to make the step up? 

Arsenal’s belief in Nketiah is clearly evident from the jersey he’s been given and the length of his new contract and when we look at his goal scoring record to date we can see why. It first became clear to see at youth level, where the striker bagged no less than 16 goals and three assists in around 1200 minutes of football for England’s youth sides, alongside an equally impressive record of 0.87 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League 2. 

However, what undoubtedly gets Arsenal fans excited about Nketiah is the goals he’s already managed to bag in such a short period of time for the first team. Although the youngster has had to settle for substitutions off the bench, he’s still picked up 23 goals and 12 assists in 3743 minutes of first team football at Arsenal. Which works out at a seriously impressive 0.55 goals per 90 for the club. 

The question that still remains is whether Nketiah can maintain or even improve on that average when he starts games for Arsenal and becomes their main source of goals. Not only will the player have to handle a huge amount of pressure but also score goals from scratch, rather than picking off teams when his team have perhaps already won the game. But if the striker can maintain that average as a starter for Arteta’s first team, Arsenal may have a new star on their hands worthy of Henry’s old jersey.