Born in Lewisham, south London, to Ghanaian dad and mom, Nketiah started his youth profession at Chelsea earlier than transferring to Arsenal.
He made his debut for the Gunners as an 18-year-old in September 2017 and went on to attain 38 targets in 168 appearances earlier than his £30m transfer to throughout London to Palace in August 2024.
Nketiah has beforehand been approached by the Ghana Soccer Affiliation (GFA), which often sounds out diaspora expertise. Chelsea’s England Below-21 worldwide Joshua Acheampong is one other current instance who has acquired an method.
Nationwide workforce head coach Otto Addo has revealed that some gamers who resisted these overtures up to now have modified their thoughts now a World Cup is on the horizon.
However whereas Nketiah didn’t rule out a swap, he denied there was any current contact with the GFA.
“I have not had any calls or something just lately, so my focus has simply been on taking part in nicely every week and serving to my workforce win trophies,” he stated.
“If I am doing nicely and doing the suitable issues then naturally the worldwide future will resolve itself when it is time to make that call.”
When addressing the new subject of gamers who had no function in qualification being known as up, Addo defined consideration could be given on a “case by case” foundation.
Talking to 3Sports, exterior final month, he stated: “I feel Ghana ought to at all times have a sure pleasure as a rustic. We have to go on every participant and test the dedication, which could be very essential, as a result of we’ve got an excellent unity and I undoubtedly do not wish to destroy this.”
Whereas Kofi Adams, Ghana’s minister of sport and recreation, has stated that Addo and his technical workforce may have the ultimate say on who is chosen, the scenario has left some Black Stars supporters in a darkish temper.
“The consensus in Ghana is that gamers that didn’t settle for invites to be a part of the Black Stars [squad] to qualify for the World Cup, these gamers shouldn’t be known as up,” sports activities journalist Muftawu Abdulai instructed BBC Sport Africa.
“The truth is, even some members of the ground of parliament had been saying that.
“In the event you converse to followers in Ghana, they describe them (gamers now hoping to modify allegiance) as opportunistic.”
Together with Nketiah and Hudson-Odoi, Como winger Jayden Addai, who’s a Netherlands youth worldwide, has additionally been strongly linked.
In the meantime, like Acheampong, Chelsea ahead Tyrique George is one other England youth participant who might symbolize Ghana ought to he select to take action – one thing that high-profile stars together with Antoine Semenyo, Tariq Lamptey and Inaki Williams have performed lately.
“There was some extent the place the previous President of the nation, Nana Akufo-Addo, was believed to have been personally concerned in attempting to persuade Hudson-Odoi,” stated Abdulai, earlier than including that he believes such high-level solicitations have come to an finish.
“(GFA) committee members have additionally spoken. All of them say that these gamers should not be known as up.”
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