Brighton and Crystal Palace are keen on signing Eddie Nketiah this month… but Bayer Leverkusen are also in the running after starting talks with Arsenal striker over possible pre-contract
- Bayer Leverkusen are discussing a possible pre-contract with Eddie Nketiah
- The Arsenal striker has so far refused to sign a new deal at the Emirates Stadium
- Crystal Palace and Brighton have previously shown interest in the 22-year-old
- Both Premier League sides remain interested in the ex-England U21 forward
Brighton and Crystal Palace are interested in signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah in this month’s transfer window.
Sportsmail understands Bayer Leverkusen are discussing a possible pre-contract for Nketiah, whose contract at Emirates Stadium comes to an end this summer.
Palace have also been linked with a swoop for the striker – who has turned down a number of contract extension offers at Arsenal this term – but the Eagles will need to brace themselves for a battle with Leverkusen for the Englishman’s signature.
Brighton and Crystal Palace remain interested in signing Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah
Gerardo Seoane’s Bayer Leverkusen have begun talks over a possible pre-contract with Nketiah
The Selhurst Park outfit have been joined by fellow Premier League outfit Brighton – who along with West Ham have previously shown interest – in wanting the 22-year-old this month.
Palace and Brighton wanted to sign the former England U21 striker last summer, with some reports claiming a failure to agree personal terms saw a deadline-day move to Patrick Vieira’s men break down.
The Frenchman is keen on adding to his forward options this month, with Palace unlikely to seek a permanent deal for Mainz loanee Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Meanwhile, Seagulls boss Graham Potter has been keen on a new striker for a long time to provide support for Neal Maupay, interest which has been intensified following Aaron Connolly’s loan move to Middlesbrough.
But the sides managed by Graham Potter (left) and Patrick Vieira (right) remain keen
Nketiah has yet to start a Premier League games this season and has only come off the bench on three occasions, with a lack of game time believed to be a key factor behind his failure to extend his deal in north London.
His opportunities to impress have therefore come in the Carabao Cup, in which he has netted five goals in three games to help fire the Gunners to the semi-finals.
His latest goals in the competition saw him net his first senior club hat-trick in the 5-1 victory against Sunderland in last month’s quarter-final.
Nketiah has scored 18 goals in 71 appearances for the Gunners’ since being handed his first-team debut by Arsene Wenger in September 2017 in a Europa League match against BATE Borisov.
Nketiah scored a League Cup hat-trick last month but is yet to start a league game this season
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