Mikel Arteta looks set to reshuffle the pack at Arsenal in the summer transfer window, with various sales and signings expected to be on the agenda. One player who faces an increasingly uncertain future at the Emirates Stadium is Reiss Nelson, who sees his contract expire at the end of the season.
The 23-year-old has featured just eight times for the Gunners in the Premier League this term, directly contributing towards five goals – all of which have come from off the bench. Despite Nelson's sparkling cameos, he's rarely been given the chance to impress from the get-go with tough competition for places from Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and, more recently, Leandro Trossard.
However, it must be said the former England youth international's season has been plagued with injuries. Nevertheless, it seems as if Arsenal are ready to replace Nelson with one of the Bundesliga's top talents, if reports are to be believed.
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According to the Daily Mail, Nelson has recently rejected a new contract at Arsenal. The report states that Brighton are interested in the winger and they're planning to table a formal offer.
With Arteta set to lose on of his primary attacking outlets, the Daily Mail add that Mouss Diaby has reemerged as an option. It's said that the Bayer Leverkusen winger will likely cost at least £50million, though Arsenal could face competition from Manchester United, Newcastle and Real Madrid.
Diaby was previously linked with a move to the Premier League in the summer but a move failed to materialise. However, while the Gunners might be inclined to spend big on the Frenchman, they've been made aware of the potential which Nelson is yet to be unlocked.
Jaidon Anthony, who once played alongside Emile Smith Rowe as a youngster, admitted that Nelson was a 'level above' everyone else. Speaking to Goal, the Bournemouth star said: "Reiss Nelson was also a level above.
"We also went to tournaments with Joe Willock in our team. So there was so much talent in the academy at that time. Looking back, I definitely feel it was a special generation."
Then, in 2020 when speaking to the Guardian, Nelson revealed he and Jadon Sancho were once the very best at under-21 level. The Arsenal winger said: "It was always: ‘Reiss and Jadon, who’s better?’ or ‘Reiss and Jadon, play football’, and it was getting a bit annoying and boring for us.
"We’d be out, like in a nice place, and someone would just throw a ball and say: ‘These two, battle each other!’ It got to a point where we were both just like: ‘Nah, we can’t just go messing around with each other all the time.’ It’s more of a proper brotherhood – he’s like my brother. It’s not a battle like some people say."
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