Arsenal and Reiss Nelson have mutually agreed to terminate the 26-year-old winger’s contract, making him a free agent. Meanwhile, manager Mikel Arteta confirmed ongoing summer transfer plans following a Community Shield victory, as the club prepares to move on forward Gabriel Jesus and monitor other squad changes.
The north London club has parted ways with Reiss Nelson, wiping the player’s wages from the books immediately after agreement between Arsenal and the player to terminate the remaining deal. Nelson, a product of the club’s academy, was entering the final year of his contract, though it included an option to extend by 12 months.
Although the decision means Arsenal now miss out on a transfer fee for Nelson, his exit represents a saving on the wage bill and there was an acknowledgement at the north London club that, at 26, he needs to be playing regular football. There had been talk of a move to West Ham United for a fee of around £3m, but West Ham had been stalling on the deal while they explored other opportunities, and there was no guarantee they were going to go ahead with it. Indeed, Arsenal opting to cancel Nelson’s contract suggests West Ham weren’t planning to proceed with the move, though it remains to be seen whether they’ll show more of an interest in the signing of the player as a free agent.
Academy Legacy and Career Path
Nelson came through the academy at Arsenal and signed his first professional contract in December 2016. He made his debut in August of the following year, coming on as a substitute against Chelsea in the Community Shield. Nelson made sporadic first-team appearances before joining German club Hoffenheim on loan for the 2018-19 season. He scored three goals in 22 appearances in the following campaign but found game time limited in 2020-21 and subsequently joined Dutch side Feyenoord on loan in August 2021.
Nelson made occasional appearances for Arsenal over the next two seasons, signing a new contract in 2023, but was primarily used from the bench. He made 90 appearances for the Arsenal senior side, having broken through from the club’s youth teams. He won the FA Cup and two Community Shields with the Gunners. The Englishman spent last season on loan at Brentford, but only appeared 13 times in all competitions for the west London side. The forward made just three starts, which came in the cup competitions, with injuries and illness forcing him to miss 10 games.
‘Reiss Nelson has agreed a deal with Arsenal to terminate his contract by mutual consent. ‘Nelson is attracting interest from clubs in England and overseas but plans to thoroughly assess his options before making a decision on his future. The Athletic reported earlier this month that West Ham United and Arsenal had held talks over a deal for Nelson. ‘The 26-year-old was entering the final year of his contract at the Emirates Stadium, though it included an option to extend by 12 months. ‘Although Arsenal now miss out on a transfer fee for Nelson, his exit represents a saving on the wage bill and there was an acknowledgement at the north London club that, at 26, he needs to be playing regular football.’
The Athletic
Squad Rebuilding and Summer Window
While Nelson exits, Arsenal continue active maneuvers in the transfer window. Mikel Arteta outlined Arsenal’s plan for the rest of the summer transfer window after the Gunners outplayed Manchester City in the Community Shield. Defending Premier League champions Arsenal issued a warning to their title rivals with a hugely impressive 3-0 win over Man City in Cardiff. It took Arsenal less than 30 seconds to break the deadlock, Riccardo Calafiori tucking home following a superb through ball from Myles Lewis-Skelly. Kai Havertz headed Arsenal two goals in front midway through the first half following an assist from Gunners summer signing Christos Tzolis. Captain Martin Odegaard scored his side’s third as Arsenal thumped Manchester City in Enzo Maresca’s first competitive game since replacing Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium.
The Gunners have already added some depth to the squad this summer. Illan Meslier provides further cover in goal, whilst Christos Tzolis replaced an outgoing Leandro Trossard. Since adding former Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes to their midfield, with the Brazilian making his first appearance in Arsenal colours at the Emirates tonight, Arteta confirmed he was still hoping to bolster his defensive options before the summer transfer window closes. Asked whether his focus is now on defensive reinforcements after the £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes, Arteta said:
Arteta made clear that Arsenal would still like to add more quality if the right opportunities emerge:
More forwards are due to depart, with Gabriel Martinelli closing in on a roughly €65m / £55.6m switch to Al-Hilal. At that price, Martinelli will comfortably become Arsenal’s most lucrative sale, easily surpassing the £35m generated when Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain left.
