Crystal Palace are reportedly eyeing a loan move for Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson as they continue rebuilding their squad ahead of the new season.
According to Sky Sports, Crystal Palace have a number of attacking players on their wishlist, including Nelson, who is keen to leave Arsenal to secure regular playing time.
The England youth international rose through the ranks of Arsenal’s academy and made his senior debut in 2017. He showed plenty of initial promise and was tipped to have a bright future at the club.
He spent the 2018-19 campaign on loan at Hoffenheim, where he impressed, scoring seven goals and providing one assist. Nelson was expected to have a key role to play on his return to Arsenal but he has failed to carve out a place in the starting XI the past couple of seasons.
With the likes of Nicolas Pepe, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Willian ahead of him in the pecking order, Nelson is pushing for a move away.
The 21-year-old, who has made 47 appearances for Arsenal in all competitions, has two years left on his current contract.
What will Reiss Nelson add to Crystal Palace?
New Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira, who replaced Roy Hodgson, is looking to build his side around a core of young players.
The Eagles have roped in 19-year-old French midfielder Michael Olise from Reading and 20-year-old defender Marc Guehi from Chelsea, while offloading the likes of Andros Townsend, Mamadou Sakho and Gary Cahill to reduce the average age of the squad.
Nelson fits the profile of player that Vieira is looking for.
The 21-year-old is a direct winger who likes to take on defenders and beat them with his blistering pace and silky dribbling skills. Nelson has the ability to deliver crosses from the by-line and also cut in and feed his teammates with accurate through balls.
He has decent vision and passing and can link up well with his attackers. His finishing leaves a lot to be desired, but at 21, he has plenty of time to work on that aspect of his game.
Palace relied heavily on Eberechi Eze and Wilfried Zaha to create chances last season and Nelson’s arrival can take some of the pressure off the two. Moreover, Townsend’s departure has left a void on the right flank that Nelson will be able to fill.
The Eagles will be looking to improve on their 14th-place finish in the Premier League last season and Nelson’s arrival will certainly help in that regard.
