Reiss Nelson will wear Arsenal’s number 24 shirt this season and will join fellow Academy graduates Joe Willock and Eddie Nketiah as members of the club’s first team.
Nelson had the number 61 shirt during the 2017/18 season at the Emirates and then took Hoffenheim’s number 9 shirt while on loan in the Bundesliga last year.
He revealed the change with a post on Instagram and we’re assuming he chose to use a butterfly emoji because he’s just metamorphosised from an Academy caterpillar.
Having been away with England’s under-21s at the European Championships in Italy and Malta, we weren’t expecting to see Nelson at London Colney for another week. Perhaps, – and good on him, if so – he’s eager to be front of mind when the squad heads to the States on Thursday – beach parties can wait.
Earlier today, it was revealed that pals Nketiah and Willock had also switched squad numbers taking 30 and 28, having previously held 49 and 59 respectively.
Well if he’s going to personally save the club from total annihilation and single handedly walk us into the champions league then he’d better have a lowish squad number…
I thought he would be number 7 tbh
Taking the Mkhi?
Sorry, couldn’t resist!
With Nelson, Willock and Nketiah given numbers is it looking like Smith-Rowe is going to be loaned again, or are these announcements staggered? And I’m assuming Bielik isn’t back from U21s duty, hence the lack of shirt number?
If anyone could shed some light it’d be most appreciated.
Technically, there has been no announcements.
Just what we’ve seen from photos and/or players themselves revealing it.
Ah right, cheers for clearing that up for me, Faisal! ?
2+4=6
Butterflies have 6 legs. Coincidence?
I think not.
Quick Maffs
Quick moths.
The lesser the numbers the more senior one gets, and if you get number 1 you enter the goal and eventually with 0 you are kicked out like a ball to you destiny whatever that maybe. Funny world it is isn’t it?
Anyways, congrats for Nelson and can’t wait to see him move mountains.
Yeah, no pressure.
Happy to see this, would much rather suffer an inconsistent season with a youth product than a season of mediocrity with a signing like Vasquez.
?
Indeed, would rather us having inconsistency while developing this crop, than being mediocre while spending ridiculous money for average players with high wages that we won’t be able to get rid of (like that Brahimi fella we were, aparently, linked to)
Brahimi was a joke, we’d need to be Sam Allardyce to go for him. Vasquez I would rush if a loan deal
More excited about academy players being promoted than all the transfer speculation.
Hopefully Bielik and ESR to follow
I think this is a step in the right direction. I pray we don’t hear tomorrow that they have been loan out. Since Emery couldn’t get the best out of Ozil and Micki, he may be able to turn these young lads into the next set of De ligt and Dr King’s of this world. A man can only hope cos let’s face it, that’s all we have at Arsenal.
Dr King?
I mean, I know Nelson may be important, but expecting him to match Dr. Martin Luther King’s achievements is quite an ask.
But I guess you have a dream.
Finally, some good news during this transfer window
Hoping to see Beilik also get that promotion as well.
Yes, kind of like Chambers, I think Bielik has done his loan moves properly, and it’s only fair we give these guys a chance to play this season (unless they really want to leave and we’ve got a decent offer for them, which would nonetheless be a shame for us). We’ve got some good young players who really deserve a chance, and I hope Emery can coach them forward.
Absolutely. If the stories about Saliba (being bought & loaned out straight away) are true, then I’d like to see what the plan regarding CB is.
How much are Chambers & Bielik taken into consideration? I’d really like to see more of Chambers because I don’t know how much better he could have done on top of being Fulham’s POTY. If we do sell him, I have 0 faith we can actually replace him someone with at least same level of experience & quality. Give him a chance!
Give the young ones a go
Next season has got to be the time to start building. Eddie,joe Willock ,Reiss nelson,these boys are the future.One guts and thunder leader at the back and we could start getting up among the trophies
Every body is saying to give is young start ago and we don’t have good leaders to lead them
New signing, yayyy!
Announce Smith-Rowe! That’s the sort of thing the kids say these days right? Well it’ll certainly be interesting to see just how much playing time those three get in the first team. If it’s more than just Europa League and Cup appearances it is an indicator of what Emery feels their level is (or that we really don’t have any money). But I’m all for internal solutions if we just can’t afford anyone good on the market. Better to do it this way than buy someone mediocre for the sake of it. Willock showed enough last season to suggest he… Read more »
I Arsenal should play differently this time. Once again out ouf the champins league i think playing academy graduates is the best move. Reserve funds should be used i crease salaries instead of ridiculous buying of average players. Arsenal has good players who should just polish their work ethics thats all!! These academy graduates are going to sell for minimum 30million after 1 or 2 seasons. Then Arsenal can sell if they must to buy like everyone else!!