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Huge blow: Arsenal wonderkid set to leave this week after snubbing new contract

By mac14 on August 28, 2018

According to Goal, highly-rated youngster Reiss Nelson is expected to leave Arsenal this week to join Hoffenheim after performing a dramatic u-turn over signing a new contract.

Nelson has been at Arsenal since joining our youth academy aged just 9-years-old and he’s developed in to one of the most promising youngsters at the club over the past few years.

The 18-year-old broke in to the first team set-up under Arsene Wenger last season and made his full competitive debut during the League Cup clash with Doncaster Rovers in September 2017.

The winger then made his Premier League debut against Crystal Palace in January and went on to make 16 appearances in all competitions after an impressive debut campaign within the first team squad.

He also excelled with the youth side as Nelson was awarded the Premier League 2 Player of the Year award after his 10 goals helped Arsenal win the PL2 title and it initially looked like the teenager was ready to commit his future to the Emirates.

Speaking back in April, Nelson suggested he was on the verge of signing a new long-term deal. He’s quoted as saying by Goal:

“It is a big achievement to sign for a big club like Arsenal so I’m just delighted with the contract and hopeful can sign it soon. I did set one target – to make my first-team debut. I have done that, I have had 15 appearances.

“A Premier League start was on the cards but I think I need to score, that is the only one I haven’t achieved, so fingers crossed I can get a cheeky goal before the end of the season.”

Reports earlier this month suggested Nelson had agreed terms with Arsenal over a five-year contract and a formal announcement was expected soon but things have gone quiet and it seems the attacker has had a change of heart.

Goal claim Nelson has now decided to snub Arsenal’s contract and with the youngster having just one year remaining on his current deal, the club have been forced to cash-in this summer.

The report says Nelson is ready to follow in the foot-steps of close friend Jadon Sancho – who plays for Borussia Dortmund – by heading to the Bundesliga and is expected to join Hoffenheim before the European window closes at the end of the week.

It’s suggested by Goal that Nelson has decided to try his luck in Germany as he feels he’s unlikely to become a regular at Arsenal anytime soon as he’s behind a number of attackers including the likes of Alex Iwobi and Danny Welbeck.

I will be absolutely gutted if this report is accurate as Nelson has a huge future ahead of him and is arguably the best young attacking prospect we have at the club right now.

This was going to be a huge season for him and I’m sure he’d have got plenty of action in the domestic cups, and to be honest, we have a real lack of genuine wingers so I’d have loved to have seen him given a chance this year by Unai Emery.

However, it seems he’s not been given the assurances he needs and we’re set to lose one of the brightest English attackers in the country, which will be a huge blow.