Arsenal are reportedly growing increasingly optimistic about their chances of tying Eddie Nketiah down to a new contract at the club.
The former England Under-21 international is due to become a free agent in June and has been widely expected to walk out of the door when his current terms expire.
Nketiah largely struggled for game time over the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette and played second fiddle to the latter once Aubameyang left for Barcelona.
However, with Lacazette only managing two non-penalty goals in the Premier League last season, Nketiah became Mikel Arteta's first choice towards the end of the campaign.
The 22-year-old started in each of Arsenal's last eight top-flight games of the season and registered five goals in the process - taking his total for the season to 10 strikes from 27 games in all tournaments.
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Arteta has been vocal in his desire to keep Nketiah at the club, although the striker is believed to have turned down multiple offers of a new contract over the winter.
Now, The Athletic claims that a contract offer is still on the table for Nketiah, and Arsenal are more hopeful that he will be inclined to extend his stay in North London following his recent run in the first XI.
Nketiah will not be short of offers if he does decide to head elsewhere, though, with a recent report claiming that both Liverpool and Chelsea were keeping a close eye on his situation.
Bayer Leverkusen, West Ham United and Crystal Palace have previously been linked with a move for Nketiah, who has registered 23 goals in 92 games for Arsenal since coming through their Hale End academy.
Even if Nketiah does agree to a new deal at the club, Arsenal will still be in the market for at least one new centre-forward, with Lacazette not expected to pen fresh terms.
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Manchester City's Gabriel Jesus is still understood to be the Gunners' priority target for the summer window, but prising the Brazilian away from the Etihad Stadium will be slightly more difficult without Champions League football.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin's injury woes have supposedly made Arsenal think again about signing the Everton forward, while Real Sociedad have no intention of parting ways with Alexander Isak.
A number of Serie A strikers have also been linked with moves to the Emirates, but the Gunners are already said to have failed with a bid to sign Napoli's Victor Osimhen, while Roma insist that Tammy Abraham is going nowhere.
Should Nketiah ultimately reject the chance to sign a new contract at Arsenal, the Gunners could turn their attention to Adam Hlozek, who has already registered 40 goals and 36 assists in 132 games for Sparta Prague at the age of 19.
Midfielder Mohamed Elneny is also due to become a free agent in June, but the midfielder was seemingly pictured signing a new one-year deal after Sunday's 5-1 win over Everton.
Ben Knapton
