Eddie Nketiah Praises 'Mature' Alexandre Lacazette & Reveals Help From Ousted Striker

​Arsenal's Eddie Nketiah has insisted that there are 'no hostilities' between himself and Alexandre Lacazette despite the fact the youngster has started ahead of the Frenchman in the club's last two league games.

The 20-year-old spent the first half of the season on loan at Leeds United before returning to the Emirates in January. While there was a chance he would head elsewhere for the second half of the campaign, he ended up staying and has earned his chances in Mikel Arteta's first team. 

Since returning to the club, Nketiah has made four Premier League appearances. Most recently, he scored during his side's 3-2 win over Everton.

Nketiah has now started ​Arsenal's last two league games ahead of the more senior but out-of-form ​Lacazette but despite this, the Englishman has praised the forward for his maturity. 

He said, as quoted by ​Goal: “Obviously he is a mature lad and a great player. He always tries to encourage me.

“He has been a young player in my position so he knows what it is like. There are no hostilities, he's just always looking to help and improve and it shows the maturity he has. He has had a great career so all I can do is take the advice he gives me and try and implement it in my game and do what I do best.”

Nketiah went on to explain how he is thriving off the opportunity to learn from 'great' forwards such as ​Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Lacazette. 

He continued: “It’s great. They’re really good guys off the field and obviously top strikers.

“I just try to focus on myself and learn from them, see the things they do well and try to take from it and improve. They’re always willing to give advice and talk to me whenever I need it. It’s great to have two great strikers to learn from."

After Nketiah returned to north London in January, it was unclear whether he would remain at the club or leave on loan once again. However, he has now explained why head coach Arteta opted to keep hold of him before reiterating his desire to take his opportunities now that he has the chance.  

The attacker added: "He was a bit 50-50 on letting me go anyway and I was 50-50 as well. I try to give my all in training and treat it as a game. He likes this mentality and obviously the quality I have, I try to showcase that.

“He’s a great manager and has a real determination to help and improve young players and the senior players as well.

“I just want to keep learning off him, make sure my mentality is right each day and keep improving. Speaking to Mikel and the belief he showed in me I really did believe he would give me opportunities if I continued to work hard.

“I think all my life that is what I have done and Arsenal are obviously a top club and I support them so I always wanted to play here. It is the best thing to have this opportunity now and I just want to keep improving and hopefully take more chances.”