The man of the hour, Reiss Nelson. Well, at least for the Nottingham Forest game he was!! A super-sub who came on and scored a couple of goals and got an assist. What a game-changer on the night!! However, he had a decent outing in the Europa League game, with no real end product in the fixture against FC Zurich.
Despite that, the future of the 22-year-old Arsenal winger is up for grabs. The recent reports confirm now that the attacking player wants to renew his Arsenal deal. This is positive news for the Gunners, who are trying to tie down young stars to new long-term deals. And Reiss Nelson would surely one of their picks for an extension too.
Nelson wants to further stay at the club that he joined at a very young age. He has been with the club since 2007, which makes this his 15th year running with Arsenal.
Do Arsenal need Reiss Nelson as much as he needs the Gunners?
With the World Cup coming up in December and squad rotation in European competitions being the need of the day, Arsenal indeed needs Reiss Nelson. Not just this term but in the long-run as well. He has provided some good breakthroughs in the past, in the form of goals or assists.
Further, his work-rate has never been a real issue for manager Mikel Arteta. The Spaniard likes players that put in the right kind of hard work. Reiss Nelson is surely one such player that can deliver for Arteta and Arsenal.
To add to that, Eddie Nketiah has not been the same since his contract extension. There is a need for more versatile attacking players up front. Reiss Nelson could be an asset for this reason. An extension makes total sense.
Further, even if the English winger fails to make an impact upon extension, a sale of a higher value will be possible only with a longer deal. If the time period on the contract is barely a season or two, he can just opt to run it down and leave as a free agent. In either case, the new contract is a must!!
What were the recent comments made by Reiss Nelson??
Nelson said, “Have never doubted myself at this football club. Arsenal is a team that I have been at since I was eight years old. I have a very strong bond and love for the club. Of course, there have been times where I have been a bit down when I have not played or been on the bench. But my plan has never been for me to leave the club or say that I have no future here and I will do everything possible to get there.”
“I only have a few months left on my current contract. At this moment, getting a new deal, of course, would be amazing. I would love to commit to the club. But am just really, really focused on doing everything I possible to do the right stuff. If I get to play for the team to do well, of course, it is hard coming in for 5-10 minutes. Of course, I would love to play much, much longer.”
“But any opportunity I get, I am going to try and take and just do my very best. Just keep helping the team really.”
What is the main role of the attacker this season with the World Cup coming up?
The main concern for Arsenal this season will be to keep the likes of Bukayo Saka and co. fit. Already, Emile Smith Rowe has had surgery and is out till December. Further, a lot of the young players will be playing in the World Cup. With that being said, the bench needs to do its bit and contribute in front of goal.
Reiss Nelson is the key man there and his numbers need to be decent at least if Arsenal wants to try and challenge for the League title. The North London giants are currently on top of the points table. But staying there will be a challenge, with the likes of Manchester City and others being ruthless as ever.
Whether Arsenal actually makes something out of this top position or not, will depend on the contribution of these bench-players. If they fail to make any sort of impact for the Gunners, the team may fade away post the World Cup and will then have to fight for a top-four finish.
