Arsenal 25yo on verge of ‘buy now pay later’ Marseille deal
Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah is on the verge of joining Olympique de Marseille (OM) in a loan deal with a mandatory purchase option, according to L’Équipe.
The French club, aiming to revamp 80% of its starting lineup, has significantly accelerated negotiations for the 25-year-old English international.
Nketiah, who made 27 Premier League appearances and scored five goals last season, has reportedly agreed to personal terms with OM. The club, led by president Pablo Longoria, is seeking to defer payment for the transfer by a year through the loan structure.
Nketiah is said to be enticed by the challenge at Marseille, who recently sold former Arsenal captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to Al-Qadsiah.
OM’s pursuit of Nketiah is part of a larger recruitment drive. The club has already secured the services of Danish midfielder Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg and is in discussions with Crystal Palace for winger Ismaïla Sarr. They are also actively seeking a replacement for goalkeeper Pau Lopez, who is set to join Serie A side Como who recently confirmed Cesc Fabregas as their permanent manager.
While Arsenal has obviously not officially commented on the reports, the move seems imminent. Nketiah’s departure would mark another significant change in Arsenal’s attacking lineup this summer and the biggest indication yet that another attacker will arrive this summer.