Fulham got their first win of the 2024/25 season last Saturday, beating Leicester City 2-1 at Craven Cottage. Marco Silva’s side bounced back well from an opening day defeat to Manchester United thanks to goals from Emile Smith Rowe on home debut and Alex Iwobi.
It has been a busy summer of incomings for the Cottagers, who have made five new additions so far. However, they might not be done there, and have recently been linked with a sixth signing who could bolster their attacking output even more.
Fulham Target Premier League attacker
The player in question here is Arsenal attacker Reiss Nelson. According to a report from TEAMtalk, the 24-year-old could depart the Emirates Stadium this summer, and Fulham ‘are looking at’ doing a potential deal for Nelson this summer.
He has also been the subject of interest from West Ham United and Leicester this summer but moves to either of those clubs did not get over the line. Fulham could well make a late raid for the Hale End graduate with a fee of around £20m including add-ons thought to be enough to get a deal done.
Why Nelson would be a good signing
Since graduating from Arsenal’s esteemed Hale End academy, the winger has never really been able to establish himself in the Gunners starting lineup. He has played 90 times for his boyhood club so far, scoring eight goals and getting himself nine assists.
There is no doubt that the in-demand talent has not quite had the Arsenal career he surely dreamed of, having struggled to get regular minutes, especially under Mikel Arteta. However, he has had two successful loan spells abroad.
In 2018/19, Nelson went on loan to German side Hoffenheim, where he saw success playing right across the frontline. In 23 Bundesliga games, the attacker scored seven goals and grabbed one assist.
More recently, Nelson was on loan at Feyenoord, where he played 32 games, scoring four goals and assisting seven. He was once described as a "dangerous" player by football analyst Ben Mattinson, and those loans show exactly why.
Stat
Hoffenheim (2018/19)
Feyenoord (2021/22)
Games
29
32
Minutes
774
1557
Goals
7
4
Mins per goal
111
389
Assists
1
7
Should the former Hoffenheim loanee sign for the Cottagers before Friday’s deadline, it would see him reunite with fellow Hale End product Smith Rowe. The 24-year-old signed for the West London outfit from the Gunners earlier in the summer, for an initial fee of £27m, which could rise to £34m including add-ons.
The England international has made the dream start to life at Craven Cottage, scoring on his home debut in front of the adoring Fulham fans to give them the lead against Leicester last Saturday.
He and Nelson have a long footballing history together, having grown up in the Gunners academy with each other. For the senior team at the Emirates Stadium, they have played together on 21 occasions.
It would certainly give Fulham the chance to repeat the masterclass that was the signing of Smith Rowe, who has taken like a duck to water at the Cottage. If his former Gunners teammate can hit the ground running in the same way, Fulham could be looking at another superb piece of business with the North Londoners.
It would not be too much of a costly deal to get over the line for the Cottagers, given the fact Arsenal are actively looking to sell him so close to Deadline Day, and they could well repeat the seemingly excellent Smith Rowe signing.
For the player himself, a move from North to West London would give Nelson the chance to finally become a prominent first-team player in the Premier League and link up with a player he knows so well.
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