Eddie Nketiah set to be recalled by Arsenal reports suggest

There are reports today that Arsenal have made their decision and will recall England youth international Eddie Nketiah from his loan at Leeds United in the next 48 hours.

It is expected he will then be sent back out on loan with Bristol City the favourites, but Brentford, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday are also in the running.

The news is obviously disappointing from a Leeds perspective, as it leaves Leeds very short of options up front. Patrick Bamford will remain the starting option, but he will now be backed up by Wales international Tyler Roberts, and at a push wide player Jack Harrison.

Ryan Edmondson from the u23s, whom Marcelo Bielsa seems to be reticent to put in the first team squad, would also be an option to take the place on the bench. However, it is clear that Leeds would need to sign a striker and that could be a tough task.

It has been a tough situation to manage with Nketiah for Leeds. Patrick Bamford has had a good season and has therefore kept his place, the one time he was in poor form and was to be dropped, Nketiah got injured. Marcelo Bielsa doesn’t play with two up front very often so in the end Nketiah did not get enough football to convince Arsenal to keep Nketiah at Elland Road.

From an Arsenal perspective, obviously they want Nketiah to play more football and that will help his development. However, I would argue that Nketiah would develop more playing under Bielsa even when not playing as much than he would under Lee Johnson, but that is a judgement call for the Arsenal hierarchy to make.

If the reports are to be believed, and they are widespread, then it is likely Nketiah has played his last game in a Leeds shirt.