At the end of the summer transfer window, Arsenal effectively decided to replace Reiss Nelson with Raheem Sterling for the season, a decision that was widely praised.
Nelson was on the periphery of Mikel Arteta’s plans at Arsenal last season, and despite his own struggles at Chelsea, Sterling arrived as a four-time Premier League winner.
Since, Sterling has been labelled as a disappointment, a player who Arteta didn’t turn to against Newcastle when Arsenal desperately needed some attacking impetus.
The Arsenal manager used all five subs and left Sterling on the bench, a worrying moment for the England international.
That being said, whilst Sterling sits on the sidelines at Arsenal, Nelson is slowly getting chances at Craven Cottage, and starred for Fulham during their derby win over Brentford on Monday.
Reiss Nelson proving that Raheem Sterling swap may have been a mistake
After a slow integration by Marco Silva, Nelson started his first Premier League game for Fulham in what was arguably their biggest tie of the season to date.
Nelson was eventually replaced in the 82nd minute but delivered a scintillating performance in the late 2-1 win, one that Sterling is failing to provide at Arsenal right now.
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And after reading Silva’s comments about Sterling after the game, Arsenal fans might well be incredibly frustrated that they let the Hale End Academy winger go.
Speaking after full-time, Silva said: “A very good first half, he probably should have scored because he created the best moments.
“He’s made a good impact on our squad so far and is going to help us to be stronger throughout the season.”
It would be hard to say the same about Sterling right now, even if he has been very impressive in his EFL Cup chances.
But with no disrespect to either Bolton Wanderers or Preston North End, those aren’t ties Sterling was recruited to make a difference in.
Can Fulham sign Reiss Nelson permanently from Arsenal?
Of course, given his good performances, Arsenal fans may be wondering if there’s a chance of Nelson returning to the Emirates Stadium to feature regularly in Arteta’s first team.
At 24-years-old, Nelson hasn’t quite lived up to his early hype in his career, but he’s clearly a player who can influence Premier League matches.
Perhaps Arsenal will still decide to sell Nelson regardless, who was arguably behind Emile Smith Rowe in the pecking order last season.
But given Arsenal didn’t include an option to buy in Nelson’s loan deal, they can assess the situation calmly over the season.
That being said, Gary Neville has recently assessed Arsenal’s title chances, a task Nelson won’t be helping with this season at least.
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