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Could Eddie Nkeitah be the missing link in Bielsa’s master plan?



Elland Road was abuzz with excitement as Arsenal forward Eddie Nkeitah arrived in Leeds on deadline day to put pen to paper on a season-long loan. Like the majority of signings that arrive at the West Yorkshire club, 48 hours before they happen, no one knows that these individuals exist, never mind play professional football. Leeds’ technical director Victor Orta likes to throw his net far and wide when looking for players to sign and it must be said, the results do vary.

The same was true for Arsenal’s Eddie Nkeitah but once the Leeds faithful were informed that the club was in for him, everyone’s long term happiness depended on whether he signed or not. Credit must be given to Orta for his handling of the matter and making the deal happen after he sold his vision to Unai Emery with the assurance that they will look after the youngster up north.



It also makes a lot of sense for Nkeitah to join Leeds as the Championship has a way of turning boys into men and making footballers out of them. That is at least what Harry Kane said after his time at Millwall back in 2011.

All you need to do is look at the man now to understand what he means, captaining a team that is 20/1 to win the Champions League according to Paddy Power and the current captain of England, who are favourites for Euro 2020 next year. Call it a rite of passage or education, time in the Championship can do wonders for the career prospects of a young starlet. There is a case though, for thinking that Nkeitah is already quite far along in his development.

With everything we know about Bielsa only wanting players to arrive at Leeds if they can improve the squad, is this the man to convert all the chances that went begging last season? 23 goals in 38 u23 games for Arsenal is a very healthy return but the step up from youth level to the rigours of the Championship isn’t something everyone can do. You’ll often hear how physical the Championship is with people quick to question a younger player’s stomach for it. As for Nketiah, well, he fits right into that stereotype being a man of only 20-years-old and from Arsenal, a club known more for elegance rather than brawn.

From Nkeitah’s appearance, it looks like he will be able to ride the challenges in the Championship given he has a strong physique and low centre of gravity being only 5’7”. He doesn’t lack for pace either but more impressively, and probably his greatest attribute is that he appears to be a man who is often in the right place at the right time.



If Leeds had someone like that in the box over the 2019 easter weekend, they would be in the Premier League this season. Bielsa’s teams are going to create chance after chance but it all counts for nothing if the ball can’t find its way to the back of the net. Even if Nketiah isn’t the finished article just yet, his ability to be where the ball is bound could see Leeds begin to put daylight in between them and the rest of the Championship right from the off.