U-21 hotshot Eddie Nketiah ready to seize England chance
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Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah battling for the ball with Manchester United's Anthony Martial during their English Premier League clash at the Emirates.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
LONDON – Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah believes that his first England call-up has come at the right time as he stakes his claim to be Harry Kane’s deputy at Euro 2024.
The 24-year-old is England’s all-time top scorer at the Under-21 level, having netted 16 goals in 17 games. However, after bursting onto the scene as an 18-year-old, Nketiah’s future at Arsenal looked in doubt until an injury to Gabriel Jesus gave him the opportunity to impress for Mikel Arteta’s men last season.
He has also deputised for Jesus this season, scoring twice in four English Premier League games, to earn his call-up to Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions squad.
“I think that I am a much better player now than I was two or three years ago. It is really nice and I am coming in at a good time,” said Nketiah on Tuesday.
“I feel confident and I feel ready to continue to improve. That is the thing, I’m still young and humble enough to know I am not the finished article.
“Coming away with these players and being able to show my quality and learn from them is really good for me and (to) continue to take those steps in my career.”
England travel to face Ukraine in Wroclaw, Poland on Saturday looking to extend their perfect record from four games of Euro 2024 qualifying.
Southgate’s men then face Scotland in a friendly on Tuesday to mark the 150th anniversary of the first-ever international between the countries.
That clash at Hampden Park could offer the England boss the chance to rest the likes of Kane as he looks to assess the depth of his squad ahead of the tournament in Germany in 2024.
And Nketiah is desperate for game time after opting to play for England over Ghana, where his parents are from.
“Obviously both sides were always an option,” he added on the possibility of representing the Black Stars.
“But I think naturally coming through the academy at England, you have the aspiration to play here and once the call-up was there and the offer was on the table it was really hard to turn down.
“I felt now was a good time to make that step so obviously I’m really happy to be here and proud to be here. Hopefully I can go on and help the team this week and get some caps.”
His family happened to be at his home when he received the call-up, he added.
“When I got the text, it was surreal. I did lose a bit of composure for a second. I don’t think I said much, but my parents were really emotional because they sacrificed a lot for me to get here,” he said.
Nketiah’s Arsenal teammate Bukayo Saka, meanwhile, was named England Men’s Player of the Year for a second successive year, the English Football Association said on Tuesday.
The 22-year-old was voted the standout player of the 2022-23 season by fans, ahead of midfielder Jude Bellingham and Kane, who were second and third, respectively. AFP, REUTERS
