Arsenal finally appear to be closing in on an exit for Reiss Nelson, with the winger reportedly set to join West Ham United in a deal worth around £3million.
The two London clubs have been in discussions over Nelson, with Arsenal eager to find a permanent solution for a player who has spent much of the last few seasons away from the Emirates.
While a fee of around £3million would represent a modest return for an academy graduate who was once regarded as one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects, the real value of the deal comes from clearing Nelson’s salary from the wage bill.
The 26-year-old is estimated by Capology to earn £100,000 per week, equivalent to approximately £5.2million per year before bonuses.
That means Arsenal could actually save considerably more through Nelson’s wages than they receive as a transfer fee.
Nelson has struggled to establish himself as a regular under Mikel Arteta and has instead spent significant periods out on loan. Despite flashes of his obvious talent, there has been no obvious route back into an increasingly competitive Arsenal attack.
A permanent move therefore makes sense for everyone involved. Nelson needs regular football at this stage of his career, while Arsenal need to continue removing fringe players on substantial contracts if they are to create room for further additions.
It is an issue that has become increasingly important during the latter stages of the transfer window. Arsenal have already invested heavily in strengthening Arteta’s squad and continue to be linked with additions in both attack and defence.
Moving Nelson on would be another step towards creating that flexibility. Even accepting a relatively small fee can make financial sense when the alternative is carrying a player who is unlikely to feature while paying more than £5million in annual wages.
Gabriel Jesus and Fabio Vieira are among the other players whose futures remain uncertain, and further sales could give sporting director Andrea Berta significantly more room to manoeuvre before the window shuts.
For Nelson, meanwhile, a move across London should provide an opportunity to finally settle at a club and play consistently rather than entering another season on the fringes at Arsenal.
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