Arsenal have officially confirmed that Reiss Nelson has left the club after both sides agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent. The 26-year-old winger, who came through the Hale End academy system, is now a free agent and will look to revive his career with a new club.

A clean break for both parties

The split comes at an important point in Nelson's career, with the attacker looking for more regular minutes than Mikel Arteta was able to offer at Emirates Stadium. Even though he was moving into the final year of his contract - which also contained a club option for an additional 12 months - Arsenal have chosen to release him now in order to help facilitate his next move.

There is already strong interest in the winger, with a number of clubs in the Premier League and overseas keeping a close watch on his situation. West Ham United had previously held discussions with Arsenal over a possible deal, and Nelson is expected to take his time to carefully evaluate the projects on offer before deciding on the next step in his career.

Struggles for consistency and injury woes

Nelson spent the 2025-26 season on loan at Brentford, but it proved to be a difficult spell marked by injuries and a lack of opportunities. He made only 13 appearances across all competitions for Keith Andrews's side, and just three of those were starts, all of them coming in domestic cup competitions.

Before joining Brentford, the former England Under-21 international had spent the 2024-25 season on loan at Fulham. But his fortunes did not improve at Craven Cottage, as his campaign was cut short in December 2024 because of a serious hamstring injury.

From Hale End prospect to first-team regular

Nelson's Arsenal story began in the academy, where he was widely regarded as one of the brightest prospects of his age group. After signing his first professional contract in December 2016, he made his senior debut in August 2017, coming off the bench against Chelsea in the Community Shield.

Following occasional appearances for the first team, he moved on loan to German side Hoffenheim for the 2018-19 season. He showed his effectiveness in Germany by scoring three goals in 22 matches, but limited chances back in London during 2020-21 led to another loan move, this time to Feyenoord in August 2021, where he helped the Dutch club reach the Europa Conference League final. After returning to north London, his demonstrated value as an impactful option from the bench earned him a new contract in 2023.

The end of a long North London chapter

Nelson leaves Arsenal after making exactly 90 appearances for the club, scoring eight goals and providing nine assists during his time there. Although he did not fully develop into the superstar many had predicted during his youth career, his contribution - especially the dramatic 97th-minute winner against Bournemouth in 2023 - means he will remain fondly remembered by the Emirates supporters.