Arsenal forward tells club he wants to consider transfer | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson has informed the club he wants to consider his options for a summer transfer, according to a report.

LONDON, ENGLAND: Reiss Nelson of Arsenal looks on during the UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal FC and RC Lens at Emirates Stadium on November 29, 2023. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

David Ornstein reports for The Athletic that Reiss Nelson has told Arsenal he wants to assess his options for a transfer.

The Gunners are reportedly looking for a fee of around £20m including add-ons to sell this summer.

Ornstein adds that Crystal Palace, Fulham, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham United are all interested in Nelson, with Arsenal previously having rejected approaches for the winger in January.

Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson eyes the ball during a UEFA Champions League group B football match between PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal FC at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven, on December 12, 2023. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)

Nelson still has a deal with Arsenal to 2027, with an option to extend to 2028, so there’s no pressure on Arsenal to sell.

Yet it seems the 24-year-old is starting to feel a move might be his best option, having only played 639 minutes for the Arsenal first team in 2023/24.

The Arsenal academy graduate had his moments this season, particularly in providing a couple of assists against PSV in the Champions League group stage.

But towards the end of the campaign, when everyone was fit again, Nelson started to drop out of the squad more regularly.

Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson controls the ball during a UEFA Champions League group B football match between PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal FC at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven, on December 12, 2023. (Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP via Getty Images)

For a player of Nelson’s talent with the length of his contract, a fee of up to £20m seems fair, even in light of his limited minutes.

The winger might need to accept a bit of a cut in wages to move to one of the suitors mentioned above. But given he’s the one instigating a move, that may be a compromise he’s willing to accept.

If Arsenal can get a decent fee for Nelson, it would give them a lot of flexibility in the market from an accounting perspective, with the fee for academy players recognised immediately as pure profit.