Arsenal struck gold on “magnificent” Arteta signing worth more than Nketiah

There is still a week to go until the transfer window slams shut, and it looks like Arsenal could be working on deals right up to the deadline.

Mikel Arteta’s side have already strengthened the first team with the signing of Italian centre-back Riccardo Calafiori, and while we have been saying this for what feels like months now, they are incredibly close to sealing the transfer of Mikel Merino.

In recent days, the North Londoners have also been linked to star attackers like Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen, although the deal that looks like it’ll be completed next isn’t an incoming at all.

The Gunners’ number 14 Eddie Nketiah appears to finally be leaving the club this summer, with Nottingham Forest being the team to finally make an offer the North Londoners deem acceptable.

However, while the Englishman is set to net Arsenal a hefty sum of money, he’s still worth considerably less than one of Arteta’s recent attacking signings.

The latest on Nketiah

It’s been hard to keep up with the latest on Nketiah’s future over the last few weeks, but after failed moves to Marseille and supposed interest from teams including Crystal Palace, the 25-year-old looks to have finally found his new permanent home.

Yes, after seeing an offer of around £25m rejected earlier in the week, a report from Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT on Thursday afternoon confirmed that talks over a £30m move are ongoing, with a report from Football Insider yesterday morning confirming again that the transfer is still progressing and that ‘all parties remain determined to get a deal over the line.’

Based on these updates, it would be fair to say that Edu Gaspar and Co have been vindicated for their decision to reject the earlier offers from both Marseille and the Tricky Trees, and while some may say that £30m is too much for the Gunners ace, he has shown glimpses of brilliance here and there for the club.

For example, he bagged a Premier League hat trick against Sheffield United last season, and in the 2021/22 campaign, he scored ten goals and provided one assist in 27 first-team games, showing there is a talented forward there.

In all, this deal suits everyone: Forest get a new striker familiar with the top flight, Nketiah now has the chance to play more regular minutes for a massive club, and Arsenal get a sizeable fee to invest back into the squad.

It also means that the current striking options are Gabriel Jesus and the manager’s most controversial signing from last summer, who’s worth way more than Nketiah.

Kai Havertz’s valuation in 2024

Yes, the controversial signing is, of course, Kai Havertz.

The German star made his £65m move to Arsenal last summer, and to say that there were some naysayers at the time would be a significant understatement.

However, in the year since, the 25-year-old has moved from the midfield to the number nine position and become one of Arteta’s most important players, which is reflected in his recent valuation of €98m by Football Transfers, which converts to a whopping £84m, or around 2.8x the price Nketiah is being sold for.

This might sound like a lot for a player who is still derided by some, but once he settled in North London last season, his form seriously picked up, and he ended the campaign with 21 goals and assists in 51 appearances or one every 2.42 games.

However, if you look at his output solely in the games in which he played up top, it is so much more impressive.

For example, he played 18 games as a centre-forward for the Gunners in 2023/24, and in those matches, he scored eight goals and provided seven assists, meaning that, as a number nine, the “magnificent” international, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, averaged a goal involvement every 1.2 games.

That level of output is seriously impressive and suggests that if he plays as the North Londoners’ main striker this season, he could end the campaign with a mountain of goal involvements, and if that happens, you can be sure his valuation will explode.