Emmanuel Petit urges Arsenal to keep Eddie Nketiah and sign Tammy Abraham

Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has urged Eddie Nketiah to stay at the club, but also believes that the Gunners need to sign a new striker regardless.

A few months ago, Nketiah looked set to leave the Emirates, with the 22-year-old nothing more than a bit part player under Mikel Arteta.

But after scoring four goals in four Premier League starts across April and May, form that has put Arsenal on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League, the striker’s future is now a lot more uncertain, with his strong performances leading to calls for his contract to be renewed.

Petit, who won the 1998 league and FA Cup double with the Gunners, is one of those urging him to remain with his boyhood club.

‘He has to stay!’ the Frenchman told Metro Sport via Genting Casino, ahead of Thursday’s North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham.

‘He’s playing with anger. He was asking for more game time, and he’s taken the responsibility on the pitch and scored important goals.

‘Nketiah is a young talented player with a big motivation to become a star, which means if he can follow the steps of [Gabriel] Martinelli, [Emile] Smith Rowe and [Bukayo] Saka that would be a very good thing for him and for Arsenal, but I definitely want him to stay at Arsenal.’

Nketiah certainly fits the mould of what Arteta is building at Arsenal, a young, vibrant team with an emphasis on attacking quickly, with many players enduring breakthrough seasons this campaign.

However, while the team has strong players in every position, the striker situation is precariously placed, with the sudden departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January leaving Nketiah and Alexandre Lacazette as the only natural No.9’s in the squad.

Both players are out of contract at the end of the