Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott believes Eddie Nketiah’s move away from the Gunners should have happened earlier for the striker’s own benefit.
Nketiah, 25, made the switch to Crystal Palace on transfer deadline day in August for £30 million, bringing an end to his over-a-decade-long stay at Arsenal.
At Arsenal, Nketiah largely played a backup role under manager Mikel Arteta, often starting on the bench and being used as a substitute. His path to becoming the team’s main striker became more challenging when Gabriel Jesus was signed from Manchester City in the summer of 2022, signaling Arteta’s intent for a different player to lead the attack.
That same summer, however, Nketiah was given a new long-term contract and awarded the prestigious No.14 shirt, famously worn by Arsenal legend Thierry Henry and later by Walcott himself. Despite these signs of faith from the club, regular playing time remained elusive.
In Palace’s recent 1-0 defeat to Liverpool, Nketiah started the game, and during BBC Radio 5 Live’s coverage, Walcott offered his thoughts on the striker’s departure from Arsenal. “It was a move that probably should have happened earlier,” Walcott admitted. “Palace is a good club, and in time, Eddie will be a great signing for them.”
Although Nketiah worked hard to make the No.9 role his own at Arsenal, he ultimately chose to leave for more playing time. Speaking to The Independent earlier this week, Nketiah explained his decision: “It was about me being happy. I wasn’t unhappy at Arsenal – there were things I loved about the club, having been there all my life – but at the end of the day, a footballer wants to play football. Only 11 can play, and you have to respect the manager’s decisions. But eventually, you have to consider your own development.”
