Reiss Nelson may end up staying at Arsenal. The Hale End star has not been fortunate enough to find a new team. He spent most of last season as a bench warmer, starting just one league game, and many anticipated his departure this summer to secure more playing time elsewhere.
Although many expected Leicester’s King Power Stadium to be his new home, the player’s £120,000 per week salary proved to be a stumbling block. In fact, the issue has been about the winger’s pay, and Arsenal’s demands for a deal have been a sticking point for most suitors. If Nelson stays, he has an opportunity to redeem himself and become the ideal Bukayo Saka deputy.
Some Gunners are concerned about whether the Hale End star has what it takes to force his way into this team, but former Gunner Alex Iwobi did explain why he can. Iwobi once asserted Nelson’s qualities, arguing that the winger is pure quality in training.
He describes the Gunner winger as a patient footballer who is always eager to make an impact, even if only in a cameo appearance.
“[Nelson] was a joke in training, he used to do bare tricks,” Iwobi said. “He’s another one that has that raw street ability,”
“I have to give it to him, someone that’s been patient. Every time he’s come on to play, he’s delivered. I think he’s been the most impactful sub this season.
“For someone to be able to do that and you’re not playing regularly, to have that elite mindset to know that you’re going into a game and I’m gonna do my thing and make sure I help the team win, I have to rate it.”
If Arsenal wanted an equal to Saka on the left wing, I believe it is time to accept that they will never get one. Players with the same impact and brilliance as Saka are rare.
If Nelson was (and still is) as brilliant in training as Iwobi describes him, and if he can translate his training self to the pitch once granted a cameo appearance, he could yet make it at the club. The fact that the team used him as a substitute in the victory over the Wolves on Match Day 1 suggests that he will likely receive similar opportunities this season.
Daniel O
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
as it stands sensible for Nelson to stay
if a right winger arrives today, an unlikely if, then could be allowed to leave
Nelson is better at cutting inside from the left wing because of his stronger foot, where he has more options to get past the defenders
Saka needs a real inverted RW to challenge him, but Nwaneri isn’t pacey enough to do so
@Gai Arteta trying to bring in Raheem Sterling. I think he doesn’t play at RW where he can only deputise for Saka. And will he want to seat on the bench?
I am not excited about signing a 29 years old winger how much pace can he offer his experience not enough.
Will a young Nelson waste on the bench because of him?
Sky Sports reported that Sterling was offered to Arsenal
But I highly doubt Arsenal will take the offer, because they’ve got too many right-footed attackers who can play LW well
We don’t need anyone to challenge Saka…he is one of thr best players in the league let alone the club !!
What we need is someone as a back up. JESUS can play there and now potentially Sterling
Arsenal trying to bring it Raheem Sterling, I don’t know how to feel about this.
Not sure that it’s exactly the case but he has been linked with us.
A case of , for better or worse”. We know Nelson has the skills but his brain can’t quite co ordinate them to make crucial decisions at the right time. Still he is a better alternative than someone like Viera. Hopefully Nelson can get it together in his middle years.
One issue I have with Arsenal’s wingers is that they are all better suited for the left wing. Martinelli, Trossard, Nelson – all except Saka. In the current squared, none could actually challenge him or cover competently for him on the right wing and that’s not good enough for the ambitious gunners.
He isn’t flashy but he’s a hard worker and doesn’t usually screw up. Even if only having an occasional winning impact (such as against Bournemouth last year) it could be crucial to our overall success.
I’m afraid this is typical Arsenal these days.
How Arteta can’t see the need for a quality back-up for Saka is beyond me.
He clearly doesn’t have confidence that Nelson is the one to do the job, as last season proved. And the only reason he could be used as back-up this season is because no club want’s to match Arsenal’s fee or meet the player’s current wages.
And serves Arsenal right, for giving him such a ridiculous contract in the first place.
Instead Arteta will probably run Saka into the ground, as has happened in the last couple of seasons.
And then people wonder why Saka has dips in form towards the end of the season.
Terrible Management, but the Arteta lovers out there will probably jump to his defense because it would appear that he can do no wrong.
Adressing the Anti Artera comments. Not judging you at all. Just saying as someone who has watched, suffered and loved The Arsenal since the early 70s, I’m as excited by this team being built as I was when George took over and then when Arsene revolutionised us.
Be careful what you wish for. These are good times!
got your back Mike, the ‘Arteta out’ shadows are a disgrace to our club and laughing stock to envious rivals…embarrassing
He’s a decent backup and hardworking player but ideally it would be better if we were able to get a better forward
One minute he’s going, the next he’s staying. If he stays, I assume that means Arsenal are not interested in a bringing in a winger now. Retaining Nelson in those circumstances would seem to be the best choice. If so, that could mean Arsenal concentrating any remaining effort on getting a striker in the final hours of the window. We’ll know soon.
Mikel Merino INJURED! Martinelli fell on him and he fractured his shoulder- Fabrizio.
I’m rolling my eyes in disbelief! Timber last season and Merino hasn’t even started a game yet.
Dang, it usually takes more than just the first training session. Partey with a fine injury record before coming to us, the list goes on it seems. Incredible.
And of course, Havertz also has a good injury record – so far. A warning light here about a past good record being no indicator of the future. If only it was the other way around (with Jesus, for example).
Or partey for example
Absolutely. I cannot understand why there are some pretty regular posts on JS that appear to take a very nonchalant attitude about this.
The few remaining hours in this window is the best opportunity to address an obvious shortcoming, but the response is, in effect, “Don’t worry, Havertz never gets injured.” Hmmm.
The point is it can be anyone at anytime and it’s impossible to cover all the “what ifs” even if you can identify them. You just have to do your best given the circumstances and try to be as prepared as possible without going overboard. I think there was a bumper sticker that came out once “s… happens” that forgot to add “but you can’t always carry a shovel”.
bravo BB, again, hopefully the ‘s.. happens’ is not Odegaard, or pretty obviously will happen Partey, it is Midfield we are short not Striker as Edu/Arteta strategy has always been goals from everywhere not just one Striker
bring on 11pm, we can then talk about Arsenal as a club and squad again rather fixating on one player
Don’t even breathe that Odegaard could fall victim. That would be the hardest hit imo likely even before Vieira and ESR went away. I can only hope that MA has a contingency plan for personnel movement and functional change that would soften the blow.
Coman. Lookman or Viktor Tsygankov would have been sensible choices. Even if they helped keep Saka rested for the biggest matches and decreased his chances of injury then that would have been benefit enough. If we have 60+ matches to play then why are we risking Saka against relegation fodder teams whose only plan is to kick him? Our squad was too thin the last two years and we won’t win it again this year because it is still just as thin. Second place is the trophy we can strive for. We had very few injuries last year and even with De Bruyne out for much of the season Man City’s depth saw them through.
Just read that Neto is actually now cup tied for the Carabao cup so he won’t be able to play at all in that competition. I suppose Raya will be playing every match unless injured.
Ipswich Town in advance talks to take Reiss on loan per Fabrizio. Believes it indicates Sterling is a possibility.
Confirmed that Nelson has gone to Fulham on loan.
Sterling apparently incoming. That’s a shock.