It looks like Reiss Nelson is set to return to Fulham on loan. This will get a few scratching their heads as to why we are not selling him.
Nelson has never really kicked on from being a talented youngster. Once considered the gem of the academy, he was usurped by a 18-year-old Bukayo Saka who in the space of 6-months, caught up Nelson and overtook him, despite him being 2 years younger.
Following a successful loan deal to TSG Hoffenheim, 2019/20 should have been Nelson’s breakthrough season. He played 17 Premier League games having only made 3 previous appearances. But the issue for him as at the same time, Saka burst onto the scene.
That same season, Saka played 26 Premier League games are was already performing levels above Nelson. That dented the older mans playing time as Arsenal turned their focus onto developing young Saka.
In the years since, Nelson has struggled to get playing time. Mainly due to the form and fitness of Saka, but also because of his own form and fitness. A loan deal in Holland failed to ignite, and last season a move to Fulham was hamstrung with injury.
[](https://shewore.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/image-15.png)
2019/20 remains the most Premier League games he has played in his career, and he is now 25.
Some will say “he never got his chance”. But to have given him his chance would have meant pushing Saka down the pecking order, and Bukayo not getting as much of a chance. I think we made the right decision as to what youngster we backed.
The issue now is that Nelson is no longer seen as a raw young talent. He turns 26 in December and has just 61 Premier League appearances to his name. He made his debut back in 2017 under Arsene Wenger!
Last year the plan would have been to get Nelson some playing time with Fulham, which then would have boosted his transfer value.
When you look at Brentford having a £35m offer for Omari Hutchinson rejected, Arsenal paying Chelsea £48m for Nono Madueke, who then paid £48.5m for Jamie Gittens. Never has the winger market been so expensive!
For me, Nelson is probably the level below Madueke and Gittens, but the same level as Hutchinson – although the former Arsenal youngster is still only 21 so teams will pay a little more for his potential. The only thing these guys have above Nelson is they have have at least one full season of top flight football under their belt.
With his checkered injury record, lack of of a full season and heading towards 26-years-old, Nelson will be a player many clubs will pass up on. And that crashes his transfer value.
I expect Arsenal would have hoped to get an offer in excess of £20m had he shone for Fulham last summer. Instead he spent most of the season in the medical room and we would probably struggle to get £10m for him this.
But with 2-years left on his contract, it is not all a disaster.
If he joins Fulham on loan and puts in a decent season, playing 30+ Premier League games and maybe hitting double figures for goals and assists, his transfer value will quickly rise.
Clubs will take notice and suddenly we will be back talking about £20m+. Maybe even £25m+.
So Arsenal’s position is we either take a low transfer fee now and he is gone, or we take a gamble.
The gamble is that if he has a good season, we could see that £25m. If he has another injury his season, we might end up getting nothing.
It reminds me a little bit of the conundrum: Would you rather £1m now or flip a coin for £50m. I have always gone for a coin flip.
For me, £8-10m for Nelson does not really do much to our finances. I would rather lose him for £5m in a years time if it also meant we might get £25m.
Whilst I appreciate some fans will see this as a gamble not worth taking, and others will also complain that he is a victim of “Arteta hating young players”, just remember that we have Bukayo Saka.
I hope Nelson has a great season if he joins Fulham on loan. then they might look to splash some real cash on him.
**Keenos**