Marseille submit an improved proposal to sign Arsenal striker

Olympique Marseille have intensified their efforts to secure the signing of Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah by submitting an improved bid for the English striker.

According to The Athletic, the latest £16.8 million offer is around the same figure as their previous proposal, but the payment structure is close to Arsenal’s demands.

Despite the improved format, the Gunners will likely consider Marseille’s offer to be significantly below their asking price for the 25-year-old striker.

Nketiah is reportedly keen on a move to the Ligue 1 club and has already agreed personal terms on a five-year contract.

Marseille’s pursuit of Nketiah comes as the club looks to bolster their attacking options under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.

Nketiah has fallen out of favour at the Emirates Stadium and is poised to leave the club this summer.

He started the 2023/24 campaign playing second fiddle to Gabriel Jesus but was handed a prominent role when the Brazilian was sidelined during the first half of the season.

However, his game time reduced drastically during the second half of the season, with Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard preferred ahead of him in the number nine role.

The Hale End Academy graduate finished the season with six goals and three assists in 37 appearances across all competitions, but his seven-year association with the club could end this summer.

Arsenal’s top priority this summer is signing a prolific striker, but they need to offload Nketiah to make room for a new recruit.

The Gunners have been linked with a number of high-profile players, including Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, but there hasn’t been any concrete movement on that front.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com.