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Freddie Ljungberg: 'Unai Emery kept Eddie Nketiah at Arsenal'

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 05 February 2019

Ljungbjerg: 'Emery kept Nketiah at Arsenal'

Arsenal Under-21s boss Freddie Ljungberg says that Eddie Nketiah remained at the North London outfit in January due to an intervention from Unai Emery.

Arsenal Under-21s boss Freddie Ljungbjerg has suggested that Unai Emery requested that Eddie Nketiah remain at the Emirates Stadium for the rest of the season.

Nkietiah has been restricted to three starts and two substitute appearances this season, and the Gunners were allegedly prepared to allow the 19-year-old to make the temporary switch to Augsberg.

However, the forward stayed at the North London outfit, and Ljungberg has claimed that it was a decision made by first-team manager Emery.

Ljungberg told football.london: "There's a lot of rumours about what happens. What happens behind the scenes stays behind the scenes. If the club or Eddie wants to make a statement that's a different story.

"The main thing for Eddie is that he stayed because he's so important to Unai that he wants to keep him. He should see that as a pat on his own back that he's important to the club even if there were offers for him to go.

"That decision was up to Unai and the big bosses. It's nothing to do with us."

Nketiah has been a regular on Arsenal's bench due to the club's injury issues in the final third.