Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes that Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah may go down to the wire this month.
Palace have been linked with a potential swoop to sign the forward in this transfer window in recent weeks but have yet to strike an agreement with the Gunners.
What’s the latest with Palace?
Palace have been enjoying a fine season under the management of Patrick Vieira.
The Frenchman has turned the Eagles into a free-flowing side who are currently 11th in the Premier League table.
They sit just one point behind Leicester City and tenth, and have recorded some particularly eye-catching results this season.
Indeed, Palace beat runaway league leaders Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihad Stadium in October, thumped Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 in September and also recorded a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates in October.
Palace have yet to strengthen their squad in the January transfer window but The London Evening Standard reports that they have entered into talks with the Gunners over a deal for Nketiah.
The player’s contract expires at the end of the season and he looks set to leave the Emirates Stadium, with the Eagles trying to bring him in prior to the summer.
The Standard reports that the club attempted to sign Nketiah before the 2021/22 season but that the deal collapsed and Palace instead did a deal for Odsonne Edouard.
And O’Rourke believes that any deal is only likely to be done at the end of the transfer window.
What did O’Rourke say?
Speaking to GiveMeSport, the journalist said: "Eddie Nketiah. Palace are trying hard but Arsenal know they don't want to leave themselves short so this one is probably going to drag right on until the end of the window."
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Can Palace sign Nketiah?
Ultimately, it may depend on whether Arsenal can do a deal to sign a striker this month.
The club have been heavily linked with Fiorentina’s Dusan Vlahovic and the Standard reports that Nketiah’s exit may well be contingent on the Serbia international moving to the Emirates Stadium.
The club have, after all, effectively exiled Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang after he was stripped of the club’s captaincy, while Alexandre Lacazette’s contract expires in the summer.
As a result, the Standard reports that Mikel Arteta will only sanction Nketiah’s exit if a new striker can be acquired.
It doesn’t seem all that fair, really, given that the 22-year-old has only made three appearances in the Premier League this season, all as a substitute.
But Palace may just have to wait it out and try to sign him on a free transfer in the summer.