The sole surprise is that it has taken this long to occur. Eddie Nketiah appears to be preparing to depart north London this summer, following an uninterrupted decade at Arsenal (with the exception of a brief loan tenure at Leeds United). It appears to be the appropriate moment.

Nketiah, who is now 25, has encountered difficulty in establishing himself as a genuine first-team prospect at the Emirates. Of course, there have been periods during which he has scored numerous goals; however, for the most part, he has fluctuated in his level of performance and in Mikel Arteta’s affections. The striker scored only six goals in 37 appearances across all competitions last season, although the latter figure is somewhat misleading; he played only 1,393 minutes out of a potential 3,330 minutes.

Nevertheless, he has not yet demonstrated sufficient contributions to be regarded as truly indispensable, and it is in this context that he is being rumoured to be departing this summer. Fulham are purportedly prepared to offer the Gunners approximately £30 million for the forward, according to The Sun. Crystal Palace, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Everton are also reportedly interested in the player.

Arsenal is reportedly hesitant to allow Nketiah to depart in the upcoming weeks, as Arteta places a high value on the player, according to the most recent update. While not sufficiently highly to allocate him more than 1,393 minutes last season, he is nevertheless highly regarded. The England international, who has only won one cap, is reportedly in dire need of more opportunities to play for the first team and is prepared to pursue them in other locations if necessary. The situation is further complicated by the likelihood that Arsenal will be in the market for a new centre forward this summer.

This raises the issue of the optimal location for Nketiah to establish his coordinates in the future. Everton is rumoured to favour a loan agreement, while three of the pursuing quartet are providing permanent options for the Hale End graduate. In all truthfulness, Arsenal’s apparent reluctance to sell may be advantageous; however, for Nketiah, who is in dire need of a clean break, it could be sufficient to eliminate them from the competition.

Of the three clubs, Palace, Wolves, and Fulham, the latter is reportedly in the lead for his signature. Although it is possible that Nketiah could succeed at any of the three, the Cottagers may ultimately be the most advantageous choice. Although Marco Silva’s team experienced a slight decline towards the conclusion of the previous season, they are currently a well-established Premier League team. With the inclusion of a few players of Nketiah’s calibre, they have the potential to regain their momentum in the upcoming season.