Arsenal FC Opinion: Gunners should hold on to Nelson and here is why
According to a report from Metro, Arsenal have offered Reiss Nelson on loan to Crystal Palace as a part of a deal for Wilfred Zaha.
The report also states that the Gunners, who seem to be steadfast in their pursuit of Zaha, have raised their bid up to £65m and are also open to offloading one of their precious talents. (h/t Metro)
The North London outfit is yet to make their mark in what is a financially restricted-transfer window, where they can’t afford any big-money signings.
Nelson’s eye-catching spell in the Bundesliga and with Gunners’ U23
The 19-year-old was loaned to Hoffenheim last summer, which turned out to be an attention-grabbing spell in the end. He bagged a total of 7 goals and an assist in the process, thus making a name for himself.
Nelson was a prominent figure with the Gunners’ reserves and youth set-up even before his Bundesliga move. He has bagged a total of 17 goals and 11 assists for Gunners’ U23 side.
He can play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger on either side of the flanks.
Why should the Gunners hold on to Nelson?
Unai Emery’s attacking line-up last season spawned a formidable partnership between Alexander Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, which imposed a constant threat to the opponents.
On the downside, everybody witnessed the decline of Mesut Ozil, who largely failed to embrace both the winger and playmaker role.
Meanwhile, Nelson certainly holds the potential to be a great star at the Emirates stadium in the future.
Even in last season’s Bundesliga, where he was sparsely used as a starter, Nelson held a pass success percentage of 86 with an average of 0.9 shots per game and 0.7 key passes per game.
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The English teenager has represented the Three Lions’ national team at various age levels, with his recent stint being the Euro U21, where he scored in his only appearance of the competition.
Final Verdict
The North Londoners have to secure their youngsters’ future in the best possible way. Instead of going all out for expensive signings, Emery should pave the way for academy stars like Nelson.