Following the failure of Nottingham Forest’s intended deal for Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah, Crystal Palace is now the front-runner to sign the player, according to reports.

Nketiah was anticipated to sign with Forest following the two teams’ agreement to pay roughly £30 million ($40 million) last week, however a source revealed.

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Palace have now begun negotiations at a similar level with one source suggesting an offer of £25m plus a further £5m in add-ons is under consideration.

Nketiah had previously been close to joining Marseille only for those talks to break down before Forest moved in, and Arsenal remain keen to secure an agreement before Friday’s transfer window deadline.

Following the Gunners’ 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Saturday, manager Mikel Arteta hinted that no deal was close to being signed.

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“At the moment, Eddie is our player,” Arteta said. “He’s very committed to us. Regardless of the noise, he’s here and he wants to be here with us. He’s really happy that we won the game.”

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PHOTO CREDIT: Getty