Eddie Nketiah has not ruled out the prospect of spending the 2019/2020 season away from Arsenal.
The 20-year-old is currently behind Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette in the pecking order and talk of a loan move is sure to increase following his fine form during pre-season.
An assist against Colorado Rapids which has been followed up by a winner against Bayern Munich as well as a brace against Fiorentina has strengthened his case of first-team football when competitive action gets underway.
But will that be away from the Emirates Stadium?
He came close to leaving during the January transfer window and the exciting striker has revealed that a decision on his immediate future will be made after the United States pre-season tour.
"There was talk of that [going out on loan] and it was close to happening in January but the club decided that I should stay and I tried to finish the season as strongly as possible," Nketiah told the Daily Mirror .
"We’ll see what happens in the future but I’m just enjoying the tour and in the future decisions will be made.
"I need to keep pushing, keep working and as for the season I want to be playing regularly.
"After the pre-season tour, it’s something that I’ll look at with my family and speak to the manager and see what’s best for me.
"I feel like I have a great relationship with the fans. It’s nice that they notice that and sing my name. That’s a dream come true. Even out here the fans are screaming my name.
"They travel all around the world to see us play and support us.
"I always try to give them something back and I’m so grateful that they have taken to me like that as one of the boys from the academy and I hope it can continue."
With that said, Gunners head coach Unai Emery has said he wants to keep Nketiah for the season.
"I'm really happy but last year in small moments when we could give him chances to be on the pitch he did very well. His progress can confirm [that]," he said when speaking after the Fiorentina clash . "We want progress with every player.
"Each player has the chance to show this capacity and above all a very good attitude and they need experience, minutes and confidence playing with us.
"The young energy is very important when we can take it with them.
"Nketiah was playing very well and last year in December we were thinking to loan the player to Germany or not. We decided to keep him with us, training and progressing with us. We started this pre-season with the same idea, to stay with us.
"My idea is if you progress like we see from you you can have chances for us here.
"I spoke with the club and him. He had doubts if it were better for him to be here or leave to play more minutes in another team. We have examples last year, some players went away and didn't play all we wanted.
"I said to him: 'First be focused here. If you earn the chance to be with us, I can promise you you are going to have minutes.'
"But the minutes you need to earn. But at the moment he's playing well."
