Reiss Nelson has revealed that Mesut Ozil has been mentoring him during Arsenal’s pre-season matches as he adapts to life in the first team.
The 17-year-old winger was given a chance to shine during the off-season, particularly impressing during the club’s 2-0 win over Sydney FC where he was named as man of the match.
Nelson has starred in an unfamiliar wing-back role as Arsene Wenger experiments with his squad ahead of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign and is now hoping for a chance to prove his worth at the Emirates Cup on Saturday and Sunday.
The academy graduate has not only impressed Wenger and club staff, former Real Madrid star Ozil has also taken a shine to him.
And Nelson admitted the World Cup winner has taken him under his wing.
‘Funnily enough, Mesut’s been talking to me and really helping me through the games,’ he said in the programme ahead of the Emirates Cup.
‘After the first game he seemed impressed and he couldn’t tell how old I was. When I told him he was really surprised.
‘From there, he’s just been telling me loads of stuff that I need to be doing – how to behave on and off the pitch.
‘It’s crazy to be getting advice from one of the best players in the world.’
Nelson also revealed he’d taken advice from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as he looks to adapt to playing at wing-back.
He added: ‘I’d never played there [at wing-back] before!
‘It’s really nice though because I can attack and use my pace. I’m just grateful to be playing.
‘Krystian Bielik told me when to track back and at half time I got some feedback from the other lads and coaches. They were telling me that I needed to tuck in a bit more, so I took their advice on board.
‘In the first game I was finding it a bit difficult trying to work out when to tuck in and when to defend. I wasn’t getting back as much as I should, so at half-time I spoke to him [Oxlade-Chamberlain].
‘He told me to watch what other players were doing on the team and that I always need to keep my eyes open and keep looking around.
‘I look up to him because he’s helped me a lot.’
MORE : Arsene Wenger ‘particularly pleased’ with Alexandre Lacazette’s contribution to Arsenal’s pre-season
Share this with