Football
Exclusive: Reiss Nelson Eyes Regular Football as Brentford Push for Permanent Deal
Brentford wants to secure Arsenal loan player Reiss Nelson on a permanent deal, offering regular playing time. Nelson aims to establish himself after limited opportunities at Arsenal and successful loan spells. Bees boss confident in convincing Nelson to stay for a starting role.
Fulham FC v Brentford FC - Premier League by Rob Newell - CameraSport | Getty Images
Brentford want to sign Arsenal loan ace Reiss Nelson in January or next summer having initially tempted the winger to West London on a season-long loan deal, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The 25-year-old joined the Bees on deadline day after the club beat Premier League rivals Fulham to his signature.
And our sources have learnt Bees boss Keith Andrews is confident he can persuade Nelson to stay at the Gtech Community Stadium with the guarantee of regular football.
Nelson was frozen out of the Gunners’ star-studded side at the Emirates Stadium, playing just one Premier League game for the club last season.
However, with the departure of top stars including Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, there is a chance of Neslon to try and claim a regular starting role this season in the top flight.
The former England Under-21 international made his Premier League debut for the Gunners during the 2017-18 campaign and the following season played 17 times for manager Mikel Arteta’s side.
But across six seasons for the club has played just 50 Premier League games and is understandably hungry to take the next step in his career.
LOAN SPELLS
The past few seasons he has been sent out on loan to play his football, with stints at Bundesliga outfit TSG Hoffenheim and Dutch side Feyenoord.
Last season Nelson enjoyed 11 Premier League games on loan at Fulham, scoring twice in 12 games in total for the club.
And that’s why the Cottagers were keen to do a deal themselves before the summer transfer window shut.
He was a popular figure at Craven Cottage and enjoyed playing for the club.
However, Andrews managed to entice Nelson to the Bees with his vision for this season, with the opportunity to play regularly if he can perform at the top level.
"It's a big platform for me to express myself, and that's what I need right now,” revealed Nelson after signing for the Bees.
"I wanted to go to a club where I know I'm going to play regularly. I know there's competition for places, but I'm going to train hard and show myself that I can get the minutes I deserve."
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.