Opinion: Exciting young Arsenal talent would be better off turning his back on Unai Emery

Arsenal’s teenage sensation Reiss Nelson has played down speculation linking him with a permanent switch to Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim, where he is currently starring on loan under Julian Nagelsmann’s guidance.

What’s the word?

According to The Independent, the England Under-21 international has moved to quash talk of a permanent switch to the German top-flight. Having watched his fellow Englishman Jadon Sancho flourish since moving from Manchester City to Borussia Dortmund, many have wondered whether Nelson may be keen to follow suit and turn his loan move into a permanent one.

However, the 18-year-old himself has said that he belongs to Arsenal, and it is up to the Gunners to decide his fate.

Nelson told The Independent: “At the moment I’m very happy here. I’m playing, I’m scoring, but I’m an Arsenal player at the end of the day, so I have to stay and do my job here, then wherever football takes me I’ll go.”

Will Nelson’s career get the playing time it needs at Arsenal?

At Manchester City, Sancho’s career hit a stumbling block as his contract talks stalled, which led to Pep Guardiola leaving the teenager out of the Citizens’ pre-season tour of the US. After that, Sancho took his career into his own hands, leaving for the bright lights of the Signal Iduna Park.

Whilst Nelson’s departure from the Emirates was far more amicable, the same issue persists. Will Nelson get enough playing time at Arsenal under Unai Emery to fulfil his enormous potential? Well, the Gunners do not have the same attacking depth as City, depth that kept Sancho out of the first team.

However, they do have the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alex Iwobi, Aaron Ramsey and Henrikh Mkhitaryan competing for attacking positions right now, even if Ramsey could soon be on his way out.

There is no need for Nelson to return to Arsenal, in all honesty. The departure of his home comforts back in London seem to have bought the best out of him, just as they have done for Sancho as well as Ademola Lookman, who thrived on loan at RB Leipzig last season.

Unless Arsenal guarantee him the game time he needs, Nelson has a wonderful chance to flourish in Germany with Champions League football available to him, a chance which he should push for.

from FootballFanCast.com https://ift.tt/2COT1VL