Arsenal: Reiss Nelson can dictate summer plans

Reiss Nelson has reiterated his desire to break into the Arsenal first team next season. If he makes good on his intention, he can dictate Unai Emery’s summer transfer plans.

For Arsenal and Unai Emery, this summer presents a great opportunity. Last year, everything was a little rushed. Coming in at the end of the season, there was little time to first address the current players in the squad and then highlight the positions that required significant investment. But this time around, Emery has a full season of evidence with which to draw on.

Find the latest episode of the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here — Season in review; Summer window looms

And there are plenty of potential needs this summer. Left-back, centre-back, right-back, central midfield, winger. Depending on the evaluation of the importance of the relative positions and the players that currently play them, you could make a good argument for each one being top of the priority list.

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With limited resources to splash, it is unlikely that Emery will be able to address all of the positions that he would like. As such, ranking them and apportioning out resources in turn to which he sees as the neediest is a critical process at this stage. And to do that, Emery must evaluate the current players.

The position that I see as the biggest issue at present is winger. I have banged this drum all season long. However, there is the possibility that Arsenal already have a solution to their wide problems. It’s just that he will only be back at the club at the end of the season.

Reiss Nelson will return to the Emirates at the expiration of his year-long loan with Hoffenheim this summer. As stated in an interview with The Sun this week, he is keen to earn a starting role:

"“If I wasn’t aiming to break into the Arsenal first team, that wouldn’t be the correct mindset. I need to go there with that mindset of breaking into that team. I’ve done a year loan in Germany which has had ups and downs, but I’m going to be ready for next season. I want to get to the very top.”"

Whether Nelson is ready to start week-in-week-out for the Gunners remains to be seen. His performances for Hoffenheim have been encouraging, but despite scoring six goals in his first seven matches, of which only three were starts, he has not been able to establish himself as a regular starter. His last Bundesliga start came on December 15th.

That said, Nelson undoubtedly has the talent to push for a starting position. But can he deliver on a consistent basis throughout the whole season? Perhaps like Calum Hudson-Odoi or Raheem Sterling in his younger years, Nelson is capable of the great individual moments. But to be seen as a solution to Arsenal’s winger problems, those moments must be replicated time and time again. That is the difference between the good and the great.

If Emery views Nelson as capable of handling starting responsibility, that significantly changes the spending dynamic this summer. Suddenly, the winger positions are not the same gaping holes they are at present. But if Nelson is deemed to be not ready, investment is essential. Nelson, therefore, and specifically Emery’s evaluation of Nelson, will go a long way to dictating Arsenal’s transfer plans this summer.