Arsenal Rumors: Rival Club Wants Mikel Arteta's 'Consistent' Goalscorer, Report Says

Arsenal youngster Eddie Nketiah is on West Ham United’s radar this transfer window, a report says.

The January transfer window has been quiet in its first week. However, things could start to take a huge turn in the next few days as West Ham is now interested in Arsenal striker Nketiah, Evening Standard reported.

The Hammers haven’t had much success this season and are currently at the 10th spot in the English Premier League standings. Now, the club is looking to add youth in the squad by making Nketiah a “replacement” for Sebastien Haller, according to the report.

Haller has had a good 2020-21 season with West Ham, scoring three goals in 16 appearances before completing his move to Ajax. With the 26-year-old now out of the picture, the Hammers reportedly want to know if Arsenal would be willing to listen to offers for Nketiah.

At 21, Nketiah has become one of Premier League’s most sought-after rising stars. In June last year, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta heaped praise on Nketiah and hinted at the youngster’s bright future at the club under his tutelage.

"I want him to keep doing what he's doing,” Arteta said of Nketiah in a statement on Arsenal’s official website. “He has an immense personality to play, confidence, he's powerful and is developing in every area I think. I have a lot of faith in him.”

Apparently, Arteta’s stance on Nketiah hasn’t changed a bit despite the recent attention the striker has been drawing in the Premier League. Last month, the Spaniard got candid about why he wanted Nketiah to stay with Arsenal, shutting down the possibility of a loan or permanent sale.

According to Arteta, he views Nketiah as a key figure as the Englishman has shown him his exceptional desire to “score goals.”

"The main reason we decided to keep Eddie [Nketiah] at the club and not send him on loan was because we saw his hunger and ability to score goals consistently," the manager said in a press conference.

"He has been doing that since he joined the first team and has been performing really well,” he added.

This season, Nketiah has proven himself worthy of a spot in Arsenal’s first team squad, scoring one goal and providing one assist in 12 English top flight appearances. He has also made his mark in Arteta’s side by scoring three goals in six Europa League matches.