Arsenal star Reiss Nelson has struggled for game time this season, and could be one of several players who may depart the club in the summer.
Nelson has not started a single Premier League game since signing a long-term contract in the summer, and despite impressing in several cameos off the bench, opportunities have been tough to come by for him.
The 24-year-old was a prodigal talent when he came through at Hale End, and at times he has shown what he is truly capable of. His last-minute winner against Bournemouth last season was his best moment in an Arsenal shirt, and it perhaps should have been one which sparked an upturn in fortunes for him.
However, with game time limited, he has been linked with a summer exit, and Brighton are rumoured to be interested. With this in mind, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar need to make a ruthless decision.
Arsenal should consider Reiss Nelson sale in the summer
Recent reports have indicated that Arsenal will want a fee of over £25m for Nelson, should Brighton formalise their interest.
This would represent pure profit in terms of profit and sustainability rules, and receiving such a fee for a player who has not started all season would be strong business, despite Nelson’s talent.
It would also mean that Arteta and Edu learned from their mistake with Ainsley Maitland-Niles four years ago.
Arsenal need to learn from Ainsley Maitland-Niles mistake
Ainsley Maitland-Niles was becoming a key player under Arteta in 2020, and earned himself an England call-up after a strong run of form helped Arsenal win the FA Cup.
This also led to a £20m offer from Wolves, which was rejected. However, in the coming months, Maitland-Niles would see his game time dramatically reduced following a desire to play in central midfield, rather than at full-back, and he was eventually loaned out.
His value plummeted over time before he eventually left for free last summer, and looking back, Arsenal should have taken the offer.
If a similar bid arrives for Nelson, then it would be best to accept it. Without playing regularly, Nelson’s value will drop, and given links to wingers such as Nico Williams, it seems unlikely that the Englishman will be able to find a way into the starting lineup next season.
Whilst it would be a shame to lose a useful bench option in Nelson, it would be smart to sell whilst his value is at its peak.