**Reiss Nelson** took to Instagram to thank those who have helped him on his **Arsenal** journey.
The attacker decided it was time to part ways with his boyhood club, mutually agreeing on the termination of his contract. Minutes have been hard to come by for most of his time in the first team, and with a year to go on his deal, he has departed permanently for a second stint at **Feyenoord**.
·**‘I got to live the dream’**
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Before **Bukayo Saka**, **Myles Lewis-Skelly**, **Ethan Nwaneri** and **Max Dowman** broke into the men’s game, Nelson was the original ‘star boy’ of **Hale End**, emerging at the end of the **Arsene Wenger** era.
The **26-year-old** lived the dream, and he looks back on his time as a Gunner with great affection.
_“From the academy pitches at_ **_Hale End_** _to making my first-team debut, playing in the_ **_Premier League_**_, winning trophies and experiencing moments at the Emirates I’ll never forget, I got to live the dream that little boy used to fall asleep thinking about._
_“There were highs, lows, setbacks and lessons along the way, but every experience helped shape the player and man I am today. Through all of it,_ **_Arsenal_** _was home, and I’ll forever be grateful to every coach, member of staff and teammate who played a part in my journey._
_“To the_ **_Arsenal_** _fans across the world, thank you for being on this journey with me and supporting me through everything. And to every young boy or girl with a dream, especially those coming from places where that dream can sometimes feel a million miles away… keep believing. Don’t take no for an answer, keep working and keep turning up._
·**From the Aylesbury Estate to the Emirates**
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_“I was once just an 8-year-old kid from the Aylesbury Estate, travelling across London on trains and buses to training. I was just a kid who loved football and had a dream, and I got to live it._
_“After 18 years, it’s time for me to start a new chapter. I leave with nothing but love, gratitude and respect for this club, and I’ll carry the people, lessons and memories from these years with me wherever life takes me next. From_ **_Hale End_** _to the Emirates, from dreaming about it to living it._
_“Thank you for everything,_ **_Arsenal_**_. Once a Gunner, always a Gunner.”_