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Aston Villa signing this impressive 20-year-old Arsenal starlet would be a win-win

Why Eddie Nketiah would be a smart loan signing for Aston Villa

According to the Bristol Live, Aston Villa are one of the English clubs keen to sign Arsenal starlet Eddie Nketiah on loan until the end of the season.

Eddie Nketiah, 20, has made 19 first-team appearances for Arsenal, scoring three goals. The centre-forward has represented England at Under-18, U19, U20 and U21 level, scoring 8 times in 8 matches for Aidy Boothroyd’s side.

The 20-year-old spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Leeds United but has been recalled after he made just a couple of starts for the Whites. But he did impress every time he took the field. Now, the Gunners are looking to send Nketiah out on loan again, the report adds.

Eddie Nketiah during his loan spell at Leeds United. (Getty Images)
Eddie Nketiah during his loan spell at Leeds United. (Getty Images)

Aston Villa are desperate for attacking reinforcements as they look to replace the injured Wesley Moraes (h/t Bristol Live). Wesley suffered an injury against Burnley and has been ruled out for the season, leaving manager Dean Smith with just Jonathan Kodjia and Keinan Davis as striker options.

With a lack of options to lead the attack following Wesley’s season-ending injury, it’s a no-brainer for Villa to reinforce that position. Signing Eddie Nketiah on a six-month loan deal should be the right move.

Nketiah may not have enough Premier League experience but he is an exciting player to watch. He has got loads of potential and would be a smart signing for Villa.

The 20-year-old showed glimpses of his potential at Leeds, majorly coming on as a substitute and changing the course of games for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith. (Getty Images)
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith. (Getty Images)

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Bringing in Nketiah would both strong provide competition for Kodjia and Davis, while allowing attackers like Jack Grealish, Anwar El Ghazi and Mahmoud Trezeguet to thrive more.

Nketiah offers a lot of energy and intensity in the final third and has an extremely well-balanced skill-set as well. He has a great leap, which makes him a threat from set-pieces – an attribute that Smith will be eager to make the most of.

Verdict

Though he is very young, Nketiah has certain qualities that belie his age. He can be an ever-present in the Aston Villa attack for the rest of the season if a deal goes through. It may take some time for him to settle at Villa Park but his qualities can never be doubted.

As far as Arsenal are concerned, they’ll be pleased to see Nketiah get regular game time at Villa, something the Englishman didn’t get at Leeds. So this will be a deal that’ll benefit all the parties involved.