Arsenal ‘hope’ for £30m from fringe attacker sale as Brighton prepare to replicate Mitoma move in summer

Arsenal reportedly believe they could make £30million from selling Reiss Nelson, and Brighton are keen on him, as they feel he could fill a similar role to Kaoru Mitoma.

Nelson is yet to start a Premier League game this season, and the longest he’s been on the pitch at any one time in the top flight was for 26 minutes of a 2-0 loss against West Ham.

While he featured as a super sub at times last season, he’d surely be keen to be given more minutes. As such, Football Insider reports he ‘could look to leave’ at the end of the season.

He’s been linked with Brighton of late, and the report suggests the Seagulls are still keeping tabs on the winger, with the situation potentially developing between now and the summer transfer window.

That’s as they apparently believe the Englishman, who they are ‘big admirers of’ could ‘star in an inverted winger role,’ similar to what Japanese star Mitoma does.

The wide man is a right-footed left winger, and therefore gets joy cutting inside and attacking directly. Nelson can play on both wings, but if he was to feature on the left, he’d be able to do the same job.

Mitoma’s first season was better than this one – he bagged seven Premier League goals and six assists, compared to three goals and five assists so far this season.

As such, Nelson could provide competition for his place amid the slight slump, or another option in the attack on the opposite side, given he’s just as capable of playing on the right as the left.

Football Insider suggests Arsenal would be looking for between £25-30million if they were to sell Nelson this summer.

The top end of that bracket would represent Brighton’s record signing – they paid £30million for Joao Pedro from Watford last summer, and he’s been one of their most potent assets this season, scoring 19 times in all competitions and assisting twice.

That said, they might not mind too much about splashing what would be a big fee for them again this summer, if they do believe Nelson can have a good impact.

He’s chipped in with goals here and there for the Gunners, but has never had a consistent role, and it might be time for him to move on and find that elsewhere so that he can reach his potential.

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