It was always going to be interesting to see how Mikel Arteta approached the January window with Arsenal. He’s a first time manager so it’s unlikely that he would’ve been in a position to demand a “transfer war chest”, but that doesn’t mean he’s completely unable to strengthen his squad.
He’s shown a willingness to play the youngsters in his games in charge so far, and it looks like he will be able to call on another one soon.
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Eddie Nketiah’s move to Leeds was intriguing, he certainly looked capable in his fleeting appearances for Arsenal but his time in Yorkshire has mainly been spent on the bench.
It appears that he is headed back to The Emirates, as confirmed by one of the writers for The Athletic:
Confirmed by Bielsa – Nketiah is going back to Arsenal. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 1, 2020
It will be fascinating to see what Arteta has in store for him. You could argue that Arsenal don’t have many problems in an attacking sense, but perhaps he seems a spot for him in the first team.
Even if he will be used as an impact sub, that was the situation he faced at Leeds, so he might as well do it at the top level.
It’s also possible that they plan to send him somewhere else where he will feature in a key role, but he can only play for two teams in one season so if he does play for Arsenal then it indicates he will be part of the squad going forward.