Arsenal name Europa League squad as talent with ‘enormous quality’ faces last chance saloon

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Arsenal have named their Europa League squad and winger Reiss Nelson has been included as he attempts to save his Gunners career.

Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at Manchester United has gone now and Mikel Arteta must turn his attention towards the Europa League.

The Gunners start their campaign on Thursday night as they travel to Switzerland take on Zurich.

PSV Eindhoven and Bodo/Glimt also await Arsenal in the Europa League group stage and Arteta has named his squad.

Arsenal have named their Europa League squad

There are no huge surprises for Arsenal; injured duo Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny are both included whilst youngsters James Hillson and Matt Smith are also in.

Fans will have also spotted that Reiss Nelson is involved in the squad too.

Nelson, 22, is back at Arsenal having spent last season on loan at Dutch club Feyenoord, bagging four goals in 32 appearances.

Nelson has been on the books at Arsenal since way back in 2007 and has long been tipped for stardom at the Emirates Stadium.

Yet that shine is starting to wear off; promise and potential now needs to become actual first-team quality at Arsenal.

Nelson has played 48 times for Arsenal’s first team but just three times in the Premier League since the end of the 2019-20 season.

This time feels a little different though, because Nelson may actually have a chance to feature in the Europa League.

Nicolas Pepe’s loan move to Nice has left Arsenal short of depth out wide and they didn’t manage to sign a winger before the transfer deadline.

Bukayo Saka surely won’t be playing every Europa League game and that means Nelson may be primed for a spot on the right flank.

Nelson has allegedly been assured that he will be given chances this season, but it’s surely more likely to be in Europe and in the Premier League.

Nelson is out of contract next summer and this really is the last chance saloon for the winger to prove that he deserves a long-term future at Arsenal.

We know Nelson is talented; Mikel Arteta has suggested that Nelson has ‘enormous quality’, but that hasn’t really shone through in red and white yet.

Let’s hope that Nelson can kick on and make a real impression this season – or else his Arsenal dream will be coming to an end in 2023.