CONTRACT REJECTED: Arsenal star have rejected the new contract for him to stay at Arsenal – player could be on his way out of the club in the summer
Arsenal star has rejected a contract extension at current club Arsenal, according to reports, casting further uncertainty over his future in north London.
The Gunners star has found his game time limited in 2022-23, having struggled with injury and been overlooked amidst the stunning form of fellow wide forwards Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.
However, the club were still thought to be keen to tie him down to a longer contract, with his current deal at the Emirates Stadium up at the end of the season, only for it to be turned down, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Interest is thought to be high in his services as a number of clubs reportedly monitor the situation, with Brighton among the reported suitors, while Serie A giants AC Milan are also believed to be to bring him to Italy.
The 23-year-old has not made a single Premier League start this term, although he has starred off the bench on occasion, notably scoring a dramatic late winner against Bournemouth to complete a 3-2 comeback in the 96th minute.
Yet the rejection of a contract offer is not thought to be the end of the road in negotiations with Mikel Arteta’s side, and talks are expected to continue until the end of the season.
Should no agreement materialise, however, Nelson would become a free agent and the Gunners would miss out on a fee for the highly regarded youngster.
In recent years Arsenal have allowed several players to leave for nothing, such as Hector Bellerin, Alexandre Lacazette, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi, Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey.
Nelson is set to be joined by fellow academy graduate Ainsley Maitland-Niles in departing the Gunners for free, with the English utility player currently on loan at Southampton with his deal also up at the end of the season.
Nelson has spent his entire career on the books at the Gunners, leaving only on loan to Hoffenheim in 2018-19 and Feyenoord in 2021-22.
So far this season, the right winger has three Premier League goals and two assists, as well as teeing up Eddie Nketiah in a 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton in November
The Gunners could also lose loanee Charlie Patino, who has impressed at Blackpool this term, but is not thought to feature in Arteta’s plans for the first team next term.
