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 from the French giants 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.
Despite the valuation gap, negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing as Marseille remain determined to land their target.
Nketiah is reportedly keen on a move to the Ligue 1 side 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.
The England international, who was described as ‘fantastic‘ by Ian Wright after his maiden club hat-trick against Sheffield United last year, has fallen out of favour at the Emirates Stadium and is poised to leave the club this summer.
Nketiah 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 minutes reduced drastically during the second half of the season, with the likes of 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.
Signing a prolific striker is a top priority for Arsenal this summer but they need to offload Nketiah to create space for a new recruit.
The Gunners have been linked with a number of high-profile names, including Napoli’s Victor Osimhen and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, but there hasn’t been any concrete movement on that front.
