Arsenal: Losing Reiss Nelson forfeits the present for the future

Arsenal look set to let Reiss Nelson leave for the year to Hoffenheim, which compiles on an already massive problem within the club.

Arsenal have a very clear and distinct problem with their current first team set-up. That problem is that they have no Plan B in the attack. Their attack is narrow and, while creative, has been consistently stifled throughout the early parts of this season, while showing a similar tendency to be stifled in the second half of last season.

There was a reason why so many wingers were being linked to the Gunners in the summer transfer window. It’s because everyone, literally everyone, knew that we needed them. All of the best young wingers were tied to a move to the Emirates but, in the end, none came.

All we had, going into the season, was Alex Iwobi, who isn’t a winger, and Reiss Nelson, who is still young. He made a few handfuls of appearances with the first team, showcasing speed and ingenuity, but he was a bit rough around the edges.

It’s been a season since he initially made headwaves and, at the very least, I would have thought that he would have his chance to prove himself capable of being the only available winger on the team, even as a substitute role.

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But now news has hit that he will most likely be off to Hoffenheim for the year on loan, following in the footsteps of Jadon Sancho (but let’s hope on a less permanent basis).

For the record, this isn’t a bad move. This loan will give him plenty of big-time experience to come back next year and be a serious force with. That seems to be the idea here, to forfeit anything that he might have been able to bring in the present, and forfeit out best possible option to be a reliable winger, in favor of building him up for a quicker future with the club.

I can’t fault the decision. If Unai Emery truly is being given the reigns for the long-term, than it makes sense that he would want to maximize his youth talent as quickly as possible. Keeping Nelson around for the year in the hopes that he can make inroads with limited appearances may seem like a nice, safe choice, but giving him up, and giving up arguably our only real winger, sets the standard for what is more important to Emery and this new era with the club.

And that is the future. Give me the future over the present any day. There is always so much more hope when you start looking down the road. At least with a club like Arsenal, that is always building.