Prominent Arsenal reporter gives positive update on Eddie Nketiah’s Leeds United future.

Prominent Arsenal reporter David Ornstein has given a positive update for Leeds United fans in his Monday column on The Athletic (subscription required).

Rumours have abounded that Arsenal may cut short England u21 international striker Eddie Nketiah’s loan at Leeds United in January, but Ornstein says no such plan is in place.

He says technical staff from the club were in attendance for the 0-0 draw against Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough and that Arsenal feel: “There is a sense Nketiah is now close to earning a first league start. His case will have been helped by a performance in which he was far more involved in the overall play, showed creativity and got the better of the opposition full-backs on a number of occasions.”

In addition to the link between manager Unai Emery and Leeds’ Director of Football Victor Orta, who worked together at Sevilla, Ornstein says another link is helping Leeds in this situation. Ornstein wrote: “Aiding the situation is [Vinai] Venkatesham’s relationship with Leeds counterpart Angus Kinnear — they previously worked together at Arsenal — and a belief that few Championship clubs offer players better preparation for life in the Premier League, in terms of environment and pressure.”

Obviously, if Leeds completely stopped playing Nketiah there would certainly be a recall, but it appears the current split between the Arsenal man and Patrick Bamford that Marcelo Bielsa has been employing is not causing serious concern for the Gunners at this stage.

The debate of who should start between the two rumbles on.