By Hughie Southon

Eddie Nketiah’s links with West Ham – reported here as being highly unlikely – aren’t taking long to fade and die as we suggested.

The Mirror is now claiming that the 22-year-old striker –  out-of-contract at the end of the season – is now being pressed hard to re-sign by Arsenal.

The forward has started the Gunners’ last five games and has scored four goals, including two  on Sunday against Leeds and two weeks ago away at Chelsea.

As a result, Mikel Arteta is said to be desperate to keep Nketiah and The Mirror report that the club are willing to increase his salary from one of the first-team’s lowest earners to one of the highest-paid.

That would be very much in line with what we reported when we added that our own source had told us the forward wants a guarantee of playing 28 games a season.

Other media claimed that we were in pole position to agree a free transfer but that was always way wide of the mark.