ARSENAL tried to send Reiss Nelson out on loan this summer – but the determined playmaker wanted to stay and fight for his place.
Nelson has made just three appearances this season, all in cup competitions, and did not make the bench for last Sunday’s defeat to Leicester.
Arsenal tried to send Reiss Nelson out on loan this summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta revealed he planned to send the 20-year-old out on loan for the season to receive vital game time following the arrival of Willian.
Arteta said: “We ended up with a large squad at the end of the transfer market.
“We had a few plans in mind with Reiss. One of them was to send him on loan to get more minutes because of the competition we have up front.
“The reality is he has been really good in training. He wants to stay here. He wants to fight for his place.”
Arteta was convinced to keep Nelson after the winger – who can also play centrally – showed desire to stay at the Emirates.
He said: “Reiss was really convinced that he wanted to fight to stay here.
“When you see that willingness and that passion and that security in a player you feel tempted to keep him even though you know that opportunities are going to be restricted and he is not going to have a lot of continuity in his play.
“But things change very quickly and if he starts playing and playing well and he does what he can do, why not? He could start to play more games.”
Nelson is competing with captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, record signing Nicolas Pepe, summer arrival Willian and fellow starlet Bukayo Saka for a place in the starting line-up.
He is expected to be involved in the Gunners’ Europa League group stage match at home against Dundalk tonight.
And Arteta insisted there will be further chances for Nelson to shine.
He explained: “He is going to get the chances in the right moments.
“What I am pleased with is how he has assimilated the situation – not playing a lot of minutes in the first few weeks.
“As everybody can see, things are changing very quickly. We are getting injuries.
“We will get more injuries because of the schedule that we have and he will get the opportunities.
“Then it will come down to him to take them or not.
“I tried to explain to him why he isn’t in the team. Obviously to compare things that happened eight or nine months ago is difficult, in a positive or negative way all the time.
“But I try to have a very open communication with the players and try to get the doubts out of their mind, and try to talk clearly when they play or don’t play the reasons behind that.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
