Reiss Nelson signed a new contract with Arsenal this summer.
By the time Reiss Nelson agreed new terms with Arsenal, his previous deal had already expired and he was technically a free agent. Whilst there was speculation about his future, he eventually opted to stay at the Emirates Stadium and signed a new long-term contract.
It wasn’t a straightforward decision for Nelson to remain in north London. Despite having been with the Gunners since the age of nine and loving the club, a lack of game time caused him to question his future.
The form of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli, as well as a few fitness issues, restricted the 23-year-old to just 11 Premier League outings last season. However, Nelson was able to make a significant impact during those appearances.
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He bagged an impressive brace against Nottingham Forest, and his last-gasp winner against Bournemouth to keep Arsenal’s title dream alive was one of the highlights of the season.
Mikel Arteta clearly saw enough to want to keep the winger around, and set about trying to convince Nelson to stay.
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In an interview with ESPN, Nelson has revealed that Arteta had a huge impact on his ultimate decision. The former England under-21 international said, “with Arsenal, it’s the team I love and the team I’ve been at since I was like eight years old. There comes a time where you think about also playing football as well. I spoke with Mikel quite a lot of times and he kind of explained the route that he sees for me and the transition that he’s seen in me…that changed my mind and I signed.”
Nelson put pen to paper on a new contract worth £100,000-per-week, and will now be determined to repay Arteta’s, and the club’s, faith in him. He needs to stay fit and make sure he’s available to have an impact when called upon. There’s no doubting Nelson’s talent, but he needs to show consistency at this stage in his career.
There are plenty of the club’s Hale End academy graduates in the first team squad. Nelson aside, Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah have all emerged from the club’s youth system. They all now have their chance to make history with the club they grew up at.