Eddie Nketiah was handed the opportunity to head Arsenal’s attack towards the close of last season, and boy did he take it, scoring 5 goals in Arsenal’s final 8 games of the season (scoring a brace against Chelsea and Leeds, then a goal against Everton on the last match day of 2021-22).
Nketiah, who was set to become a free agent in the summer of 2022, manoeuvred himself into a £100,000-per-week contract. Could this be Reis Nelson’s situation as well? He, like Nketiah was last season, has a contract expiring this summer, and Arsenal are unsure whether to extend it or not, but performances like the one he put in from the bench on Saturday evening, producing an assist a minute after coming on, and scoring a 97th-minute winner in a 3-2 comeback win, should certainly persuade Arteta to keep him.
Nelson has an opportunity to make a major impact for Arsenal after favourably contributing to his team’s victory over a spirited Bournemouth. “I always saw the potential,” Arteta said after the game.
“The talent and the desire for him to do it, but he’s at a different level right now. I think emotionally, the experiences that he had helped him.
“Football-wise, it was my decision in the last two games not to play him because we had other options.
“But he was knocking on the door, he’s been training really good, and it’s a good lesson for me and for the coaches that we need him and that he can be really important for the team.”
With 12 games to go, Nelson has a chance to change his future like Eddie Nketiah did; the question is, “Will he take his chances?”
Personally I would get him to sign right now, before any other suitors start knocking on his door. When fit he is an excellent team player, and a Gooner through and through.
Sign him up now Mikel!
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