If Reiss Nelson played for Monaco, he’d probably be worth $60 million. But Nelson, 17, is on the Arsenal books and hasn’t seen much first-team playing time. Until this preseason.
Nelson impressed during preseason friendlies and sent Emirates Stadium into a frenzy on Thursday during an open training session. The winger scored an absolutely filthy goal that included a nasty nutmeg.
Easy 1-2 pic.twitter.com/72sfwHitf5
— Reiss Nelson (@ReissNelson9) August 3, 2017
Here’s another angle.
This @ReissNelson9 goal just gets better and better pic.twitter.com/fcJbw0EG9R— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) August 3, 2017
The sweet move capped a brilliant preseason for Nelson, who made a claim to be included in the first team this year, despite the season starting four months before his 18th birthday.
Nelson’s skills were on display during the Gunners’ trip to China in July.
Arsenal's 17-year-old starlet Reiss Nelson has some serious skills (Video: @ffdtvonline) pic.twitter.com/MUw4QxX4pT
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) August 2, 2017
He also had a heck of a game against Benfica in the Emirates Cup.
Reiss Nelson vs Benfica - Had a really good game. pic.twitter.com/VJpE2X5gMg
— EmanDaGoon (@EmanDaGoonn) July 29, 2017
The Gunners celebrated winning the Emirates Cup over the weekend despite not having the best record. Arsenal beat Benfica but lost to Sevilla, which beat RB Leipzig, which beat Benfica. One would expect Sevilla to earn the cup, but quirky rules favoring goals scored over all else allowed Arsenal to lift the meaningless trophy.
The Gunners play Chelsea on Sunday in the Community Shield, a slightly less meaningless trophy. Mercifully, the Premier League begins Aug. 11 when Arsenal takes on Leicester City.