07 June 2023 , 08:51
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Reiss Nelson is thought to be on the verge of signing a new contract at Arsenal despite at one point seeming destined for the Emirates exit.
The Hale-End academy-graduate was tipped for big things back when he was making his way up the ranks at the Gunners, but is yet to meet the lofty expecations many had of him. With that being said, Nelson has clearly shown manager Mikel Arteta enough to warrant this new deal, which is rumoured to be a four-year contract with an option to extend for a further year.
The 23-year-old was the subject of serious interest from a number of clubs across the continent, but it is clear Nelson's affection towards his boyhood club is strong.
Late last year, Nelson spoke exclusively to Mirror Football and waxed lyrical over the impact Arteta has had on the Gunners and certainly didn't speak like a man who had any interest in ending his Arsenal stay.
The wide-forward has been one of the few players to survive the entirety of Arteta's reign so far, with Nelson starting the Spaniard's first game at the helm. He is one of just three players to start that fixture away at Bournemouth to remain at the club.
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Discussing Arteta's tenure and the transformation since his appointment, Nelson explained: "I feel like it has always been the same, he has always had the same blueprint in terms of what he wants to do it was just about getting the right players in to follow the same path.
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Reiss Nelson is set to stay at Arsenal and pen a new four-year deal (Getty Images)"He has got a group of players now that would do anything for him, anything he says and if you have that as a manager, the things you want to do will come good as everyone is fighting and understands what you want."
The feeling of admiration is clearly mutual, with Arteta often heaping praise on Nelson and dubbing him a "special" talent on multiple occasions.
Speaking in October, Arteta claimed: "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."
Nelson's initial reluctance to put pen to paper on a new deal with the Gunners may have panicked Arteta, but it appears that the pair are set to continue working together for a long while yet.