Owen Hargreaves says Eddie Nketiah is ‘better off’ being a squad player under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal than being the ‘main guy’ at Sean Dyche’s Everton.
Ever since the start of last season, Eddie Nketiah has been fully aware that he is playing second fiddle to Arsenal’s 2022 summer transfer capture, Gabriel Jesus.
The Hale-End star has only started when the Brazil international has been injured, which has been proven once again during this past week – Ex-Tottenham striker, Jermain Defoe, shared that Nketiah messaged him for tips.
Eddie Nketiah stuck his chest out and scored a hat-trick against Sheffield United over the weekend, with Hargreaves claiming that he can score ‘200 goals’ by just being a squad player at the Emirates, as he told Premier League Productions (30/10/23 at 2:50 pm).
If the 24-year-old wanted to, he could have easily taken a step down and signed for a team like Everton, where he would be the focal point of the team and started a lot more games.
But rather than that, Hargreaves feels that Eddie Nketiah can wrack up the goals at Arsenal and ‘win everything’.
Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal compared to Everton
“The young kids, they all want everything,” said Hargreaves. “They think they can be the guy and I respect that.
“But you could stay there and just be a great squad player for a decade. Score 200 goals. Win everything rather than go and be the main guy at wherever that is Palace or Everton.
“I think the guys are better off sitting still.”
It will be a while before Jesus returns to the pitch and this is Nketiah’s chance to really make himself count and prove he is worthy of playing at the top, top level.
From Premier League games to crucial matches in the Champions League,
If Nketiah continues to roll the goals in, then Jesus will surely fall behind the Englishman when he returns.
But if Nketiah finds himself struggling or getting benched,
Then many will question if he has a long-term career at the club.
Yes, the penalty-box poacher has just signed a new deal,
But he has yet to really make himself count in the first team.
