Pundit slams £20m Nkeitah update as journalist makes Arsenal claim
Noel Whelan has told Arsenal they made a “really bad” decision after not selling Eddie Nkeitah this summer.
The former Leeds United hitman, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, reacted to the latest on the Arsenal striker.
On 4 September, Alan Nixon claimed Nkeitah is stalling on accepting a new Gunners deal and could leave the club for nothing in the summer.
The youngster has entered the final 12 months of his contract and was subject to interest from Crystal Palace this summer.
However, the Eagles were unwilling to pay the £20million fee Arsenal demanded and instead signed Odsonne Edouard from Celtic.
Nixon claims Palace were only prepared to offer half of that fee.
Whelan insists this was a “really bad” decision from Arsenal as they look set to lose several million pounds on their striker.
“It’s a bit of a silly decision,” Whelan told Football Insider assistant editor Dylan Childs.
“It’s like the Edouard situation at Celtic, when a player’s contract gets down to that length of time you know whether they are prepared to sit it out.
“£10million is better than nothing so it seems like a really bad decision by Arsenal considering the money they have gone out and spent.
“£10million back into the budget would have been better than nothing, which is what they have ended up with.
“They also have a very young player leaving on a free. It’s a really bad business decision. I’m not sure what they were thinking.
“Nketiah will be more than happy to sit it out, which is what will happen now. They should have taken the money.
“It might not be where they value him but they should have snapped their hands off.”
In other news, Maitland-Niles may be set for Arsenal freeze-out after BBC reveal – pundit.