After almost a decade at Arsenal, Eddie Nketiah made a £25m move back to his roots in South London, joining Crystal Palace. He tells Lawrence Ostlere about his mission to reignite his career.
Eberechi Eze steps up for a free-kick, while Eddie Nketiah scans the field. It’s early in the Carabao Cup tie, and QPR’s defenders are still organizing. With a brief exchange of eye contact, Eze quickly passes the ball into an open channel. Nketiah moves into space and fires a first-time shot through the keeper’s legs.
This moment gives Crystal Palace a glimpse of their new £25m signing, the second-most expensive player in the club’s history. Nketiah’s sharp movement and intelligence are on full display. After the goal, he celebrates by the corner flag, replicating his phone-call celebration for the first time in a Palace shirt, a move he last made following his hat-trick for Arsenal nearly a year ago. Back then, he was at the height of his form, having earned his first England cap. But his fortunes at Arsenal soon changed as he was dropped from the starting lineup.
“It was about me being happy,” Nketiah explains. Despite his lifelong connection to Arsenal, he felt it was time to prioritize his personal development. He’s not the first homegrown Premier League player to face this dilemma, where talent-packed squads leave little room for regular playing time. Players like Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips have faced similar challenges. For Nketiah, the need for consistency, especially as a striker, was vital to his rhythm and confidence.
Now at Palace, Nketiah is happy to be back in his native south London. Growing up in Lewisham, he balanced his football career with a religious upbringing. He recalls often arriving late to his Sunday team because he had been at church but would quickly make up for lost time by scoring goals.
At Palace, Nketiah has found a natural fit. He feels comfortable within the club and its values, and he’s excited to develop under manager Oliver Glasner. Though Nketiah typically plays as a striker, Glasner has deployed him in a new role as an attacking midfielder, playing alongside Eze in a “two 10s” formation. This role allows him to face defenders more often, taking advantage of his ability to dribble and run at opponents.
Despite Palace’s slow start to the season, Nketiah believes things will soon click, especially as he builds chemistry with the other forwards. His friendship with Eze, a fellow devout Christian, also influenced his decision to join Palace, and their shared energy is helping him feel at home.
Palace’s sporting director, Dougie Freedman, was instrumental in bringing Nketiah to the club, while Glasner’s style of high pressing and freedom in attacking areas appealed to him. After years under the tactical systems of Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds, Nketiah appreciates Glasner’s balance of freedom and discipline.
Looking back on his time at Arsenal, where he won the FA Cup and earned his first England cap, Nketiah knows the decision to leave was right for his career. At Palace, he’s eager for the opportunity to grow and show his abilities, believing the club’s project offers the perfect platform for his talents.