Hector Bellerin has offered fulsome praise to his Arsenal understudy Reiss Nelson for his “remarkable” adaptation to a wing-back role in Arsene Wenger’s first-team.
Nelson first made his name in the Arsenal youth teams as a direct, creative winger who could also make an impact as a No.10. But Wenger’s decision to adopt a back three with the first team has forced the 17-year-old to adapt.
It has not taken him long to make the switch to the wing-back role, filling the void left by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s move as Standard Sport first revealed would be the case in August. Though Nelson at times struggles in defence Wenger evidently trusts him to puzzle it out and has handed him five starts in the EFL Cup and Europa League.
Wenger spoke glowingly of Nelson after his cameo off the bench in a 1-0 defeat in Cologne last month and he is not the only one who sees a bright with how quickly Nelson has made the grade.
“When you see him play, even at wing back, you can tell he’s an attacking player,” the Spaniard said. “Every time he’s on the ball he tries to make things happen, he looks really comfortable and he’s also someone who understands the Arsenal game.
“When you compete against teams in the Europa League and you’re able to adapt from a No.10 role to a wing-back role, I think that’s remarkable at that age.”
Bellerin added: “Reiss is one of the players who, since they’ve stepped onto the first-team training pitch, has shown that there’s something quite different about him. He’s got a great attitude, he’s got a great style of play and is someone who, when he goes to the under-23s now, he will go and score every single week.”
Nelson is expected to sign a new deal in the coming months – his current deal expires in 2019 – as a reward for his swift adaptation to life in the Arsenal first team.
But Bellerin has warned the youngster not to get carried away by the acclaim that has greeted him over recent months.
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“He’s someone who we’re really happy to have,” Bellerin said. “He needs to keep his feet on the floor in the same way that he’s been doing up until now and, if he keeps going the way he’s going, I’m sure he will have a great career.
“It’s a great opportunity for him to be able to play in these competitions now and I think he’s taking his opportunities really well.”