Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Eddie Nketiah for his performance against Leeds United while stating that he has "no doubts about what he can offer".
The former England youth international of Ghanaian background was among the scorers as the Gunners silenced the Peacocks 2-0 in Tuesday’s League Cup Fixture.
Calum Chambers had given the Emirates Stadium giants the lead in the 55th minute after he was set up by Nicolas Pepe.
Fourteen minutes later, Nketiah doubled the advantage to ensure that Marcelo Bielsa’s side kissed the competition goodbye.
Lifted by the youngster’s display, Arteta lavished praises on him and hopes to reward him despite his uncertain future at the Emirates Stadium.
“I have no doubts about what he can offer,” Arteta told the Arsenal website.
“Whatever you throw at him, he wants more, and demands more of himself, and he's another one that I am delighted to see the performance and for him to score the goal and help the team because he totally deserves it.
“But there's a lot of players who play in that position, and with a personal situation [with his contract running down], but I try to leave that aside and try to [reward him] because he deserves it.”
Commenting on the 22-year-old's future, he said: “We had a situation in the summer that we tried to resolve and we couldn't either way.
“The contract situation is more and more common in football, from where we are coming from with Covid and a lot of issues we have to resolve.
“I have full belief that he is going to be a top player and hopefully at Arsenal.”
Nketiah could be handed his first match of the 2021-22 league campaign when the Londoners square up against Leicester City on Saturday at the King Power Stadium.
Unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions, Arsenal are 10th on the log having accrued 14 points from nine matches.
For the Foxes, who have African stars Kelechi Iheanacho, Patson Daka and Daniel Amartey, Nampalys Mendy and Ademola Lookman on their books, they occupy the ninth spot with the same number of points.