Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson says new head coach Unai Emery has convinced young guns “they can shine” under his tutelage.
Nelson, 18, is among a clutch of youth products who joined Emery’s squad for their pre-season tour of Singapore and will now hope to carve out a regular place in the first-team.
Nelson made 16 senior appearances in all competitions last season but arguably failed to display on a consistent basis the talent that means he is viewed as the best prospect to come out of Arsenal’s Hale End academy since Jack Wilshere.
However Nelson is optimistic that the new head coach will give him and his fellow prospects a chance to prove their worth.
In Pictures | Unai Emery's first Arsenal game | 14/07/2018
“Training has been good and Emery has been a major influence to what we are doing on the training ground,” Nelson said.
“He's looking to bring through the young players as well... pushing them, so they will have a feeling they can shine under the new coach.”
Nelson is not the only teenager of whom great things are expected next season. Emile Smith-Rowe, who turns 18 in three days, is the youngest player in the tour squad and won rave reviews last season for his starring role in Arsenal’s run to the final of the FA Youth Cup.
Emery made a commitment to developing Arsenal’s young talent in the interview that won him the Gunners job and he is eager to help Smith-Rowe develop.
“First of all the club have given me a young player with a present and future in this club,” the Spaniard said. “Emile is one of the club’s recommendations to come on tour with us and I am very happy with him.
“He’s played in every youth national team, from under-17s to under-15s. He’s improving, thanks to his work in the Arsenal academy, and he’s close to expressing his quality with the first team. He’s 17 so I think this is the moment for Emile Smith Rowe and I’m very happy with him.”
