'Out of my comfort zone' - Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah reflects on Leeds United loan spell and lasting impact of Marcelo Bielsa

England under-21s striker Nketiah joined Leeds on a season-long loan back in August 2019 but was recalled in January after a lack of game time.

Nketiah, though, says his five-month loan spell at Elland Road still proved vital in his development with the forward hailing Bielsa's demanding mentality which has stayed with him at Arsenal.

Nketiah only made two league starts for Leeds but had another 15 outings from the bench and scored three times as part of United's promotion winning campaign as Championship champions. The forward also netted twice in two starts in the EFL Cup.

Since being recalled, the 21-year-old has made 38 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions, scoring nine goals and bagging one assist.

Twenty five of those appearances have come in the Premier League with ten of them being starts.

The forward has also since become the record goalscorer for England's under-21s, surpassing the total previously set by Alan Shearer.

Nketiah was largely kept out of the side by lone striker Patrick Bamford during his Whites loan spell but the forward told talkSPORT: "I’m grateful for my time at Leeds.

“Bielsa is a very demanding manager, so every day I was pushing myself to the limit in training, and I feel that mentality has stuck with me at Arsenal, to always give my all in training and in matches.

“I also learned a lot defensively off the ball with the way Leeds play, I learned a lot about the importance of pressing from the front, defending from the front and the impact it can have to the team and the way we play.

“I definitely learned a lot, I put myself out of my comfort zone which was a good thing for me, it’s made me a lot stronger mentally and has improved me as a player.

“I’m grateful for my time there.

“Obviously things worked out for me in the end with coming back to Arsenal, so I’m grateful for the experience I had and I feel like it made me a better player and a better person.”

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/london-curse-continues-tottenham-hotspur-assessment-outlines-bigger-picture-leeds-uniteds-overall-progress-talking-points-3083853

https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/yorkshire-evening-post-launch-leeds-united-only-digital-subscription-ahead-premier-league-campaign-2967964

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Thank you Laura Collins