Report: Arsenal forward tells Arteta he wants to be sold, potential Xhaka reunion on the cards

11/12/2024 04:15 PM

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has some thinking to do ahead of the January transfer window.

The market reopens in just over six weeks and the Gunners could certainly do with some reinforcements.

Outgoings could also be on the cards at Arsenal and, according to a report from Football Transfers, one Gunners player has told Arteta he wants a permanent move away.

Said player is currently out on loan, but he’s reportedly eager to go on another club’s books, with Bayer Leverkusen amid those interested.

Arsenal loanee Reiss Nelson tells Mikel Arteta he wants to be sold

The player in question is Reiss Nelson, whose loan spell at Fulham hasn’t been particularly fruitful thus far.

Nelson sealed a straight loan move from Arsenal to Craven Cottage in the summer, where he is only just starting to break into the starting XI.

According to Football Transfers, the Arsenal loanee has reached out to Arteta, expressing his desire to seal a permanent move to a club where he establish himself.

The outlet also reported that Nelson’s representatives have already made contact with several Bundesliga clubs.

Two German sides said to have been approached by the player’s camp are Bayer Leverkusen, the team of former Arsenal star Granit Xhaka, and Union Berlin.

What has been said about Reiss Nelson

Nelson is an incredibly talented player who is at an age where he really needs to be playing regularly and not have to worry about his future.

Leverkusen would not be a bad shout for the Arsenal loanee, as he would be able to renew acquaintances with Xhaka and learn from the impressive Xabi Alonso.

Any club that signs Nelson would be getting a player who, in the words of teammate Alex Iwobi, is “a joke” in training.

"He was a joke in training," Iwobi previously said about Nelson on The Beautiful Game Podcast.

"He used to do bare tricks, sometimes they'd say to him 'Reiss it's only three touch' and he'd still be twisting up man but still creating a chance.

"He's another one who has that raw street ability and I have to give it to him, he's been patient.

"I think before we played them and he wasn't even playing, he was just chilling, and I have to respect that, every time he's come on to play he's delivered, I think he's been the most impactful sub this season, so I have to give it to him.

"For someone to be able to do that and not be playing regularly, to have that elite mindset to know that you're going into a game and I'm going to do my thing and make sure I help the team win, I have to rate it."