Not William Saliba – Arteta convinces ‘special talent’ to extend Arsenal contract after ‘breakthrough’ in talks
According to reports, Arsenal star is now expected to sign a new Arsenal contract, with his current deal set to expire next month.
Nelson was used sparingly by Mikel Arteta throughout the 2022/23 season, starting five games across all competitions.
All 11 of his Premier League appearances came off the bench, but he impressed more often than not, scoring that last-gasp winning goal against Bournemouth in March.
Scoring three and assisting two in 204 minutes of Premier League action is very impressive and that sort of impact has not gone unnoticed.
Arsenal have been eager to extend Nelson’s contract for quite some time, but his future has been uncertain amidst interest from elsewhere in England and abroad.
The 23-year-old reportedly turned down Arsenal’s first offer of an extension in May but there was still hope an agreement would be reached.
And according to the Daily Mail, there has been a ‘breakthrough’ in negotiations and Nelson is now expected to extend his stay at the Emirates.
Having come through the Hale End academy after joining Arsenal at the age of nine, this will be seen as a huge boost.
The report claims Nelson will pen fresh terms with a ‘significantly’ larger salary than his current £60k-per-week deal.
Nelson’s ‘preference’ has always been to stay in north London, despite his lack of opportunities under Arteta.
The contract will expire in 2027 and should be signed ‘barring any last-minute hitches’, meaning the winger has turned down interest from Brighton, Fulham, Aston Villa and AC Milan to stay put.
Speaking last October, Gunners boss Arteta backed the “special” Nelson to shine after a loan spell with Feyenoord in 21/22.
“After the spell that he had last year on loan, we wanted him back to see if there are any changes, and there’s a prospect that we can really take to the next level,” Arteta told the club’s official website.
“We think the potential is there and we think we’ve seen something in Reiss that is special.
“He’s been a part of our academy system and now he’s going to have an opportunity. He’s been out for almost three months with an injury, he’s back now, he’s fully fit and he’s ready to play. He just needs minutes now.
“his attitude and the way he’s matured and evolved over the past year or so has been really impressive, I think everybody is talking about it and now he needs to do it on the pitch.”
Arsenal are also hoping to agree a new long-term contract with William Saliba, who is attracting interest from Paris Saint-Germain with his current deal expiring in 2024.
A recent report claimed Saliba left the club ‘shocked’ by his wage demands after turning down an offer to triple his salary.
Saliba was brilliant for the Gunners this season before suffering a season-ending back injury in March.
