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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Sport
Mark Mann-Bryans & James Piercy

Arsenal striker wanted by Bristol City delivers verdict on his future

A considerable amount of Bristol City's success over Lee Johnson's three-and-a-half years at the club has been built around the club's clever manoeuvring in the loan market.

Tammy Abraham, Jay Dasilva, Tomas Kalas, Lee Tomlin and, to a slightly lesser extent, Kasey Palmer have made notable impacts at Ashton Gate having been brought to the Championship from Premier League clubs unable to give them first-team football.

Johnson is hoping Arsenal forward Eddie Nkeitah continues that tradition as City are one of several clubs who have declared an intention to bring the 20-year-old on a temporary transfer this summer.

The Robins have competition in the form of Charlton, Bundesliga side Augsburg and a number of other Championship sides but their path to success lies within where Arsenal manager Unai Emery considers Nketiah in the pecking order at the Emirates.

Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang are undoubtedly Arsenal's two best players but beyond those star names, with Danny Welbeck leaving the club, Emery isn't blessed with too many other central offensive options.

Augsburg had a loan bid to sign Nketiah knocked back in January because Emery considered him his next-best option in attack.

But he played just 62 minutes between February and the end of 2018/19, and there is a consideration within the club that his development may be best served away from north London for a season.

Of course, the decision also comes down to the player himself and if he wants to stay and fight for a place in the first-team or move out on loan to try and earn first-team minutes.

Speaking at the launch of Arsenal's new kit, Nketiah has made it clear where he sees his future.

"My ideal scenario is to be playing here, I want to play here next season but we have got to see how that goes," he told the Press Association.

"I am confident enough in my ability that I am good enough to play here so I have just got to work hard and show the manager that I can.

Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal celebrates after scoring (Getty Images)

"My aim is to play for Arsenal, that is my goal and has been my aim since I was a kid.

"It is great to have two of the best strikers in the world around you and learn from them every day. I'm just progressing, trying to catch them and make the gap smaller and smaller."

Nketiah burst onto the scene, scoring 15 seconds into his senior home debut under former manager Arsene Wenger as he netted a brace off the bench to knock Norwich out of the EFL Cup in October 2017.

Few onlookers would have foreseen a 19-month wait for his first Premier League goal, which came in the 3-1 win at Burnley on the final day of last season.

"I was 18 when I scored those two goals and it was great, at that young age not many people get that opportunity or take that opportunity," he added.

"I wouldn't change anything, I have tried my hardest, worked hard and with the chances I have had I have done well.

"Of course I would liked to have played more but that is something that is out of my hands, it has been both managers' decisions.

"But I have progressed well as a player and I can look back with pride, push on and make sure the coming season is a good one for me."

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