Arsenal should loan out Reiss Nelson to ensure his youthful promise is not squandered in youth games, according to Gunners great Perry Groves.
Nelson has emerged as the star of Arsenal’s pre-season after a string of stunning displays in pre-season, most notably in the 5-2 Emirates Cup win over Benfica where his assist for Olivier Giroud had Gunners’ fans aghast.
The 17-year-old is already finding himself under a media spotlight, with Portuguese publication Mais Futebol labelling Nelson “one of the next great footballers in the world”.
Seasoned followers of Arsenal’s youth setup have not been surprised by the Elephant and Castle youngster’s rise to the top, with manager Arsene Wenger having already earmarked him for a place in his first-team after an impressive season at academy level.
Groves believes Nelson should now look to emulate the likes of Jack Wilshere and Wojciech Szczesny by shining on loan before looking to earn a place in the Arsenal side.
“He needs to move out on loan and get real game experience, not under-21 games,” Groves told bwin. “Jack Wilshere was a great example of this when he went to Bolton.
“I would like to see Reiss go somewhere that plays a similar style to Arsenal, such as MK Dons – who have a nice reputation of playing a good brand of football. He could play as a wide forward in a 4-3-3 or more centrally in a 3-4-2-1, but it needs to be a natural position for him and not a forced one.”
In Pictures | Arsenal at Emirates Cup 2017
Nelson has been deployed as a right wing-back in pre-season but earned his spurs in the Arsenal youth side as an attacking midfielder.
“Wingers are notoriously inconsistent, so it's important that he continues to add minutes and consistency to his game,” Groves added. “He needs to continue to dominate in 1 v 1 situations, but the most important thing he needs to work on is his final ball.
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“As a former winger myself, you're only as good as your final decision. If you look at Oxlade-Chamberlain, he's matured and developed in that respect.”
