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End of an Era: Reiss Nelson’s departure marks Arsenal’s last player to play under Arsène Wenger
28th August, 2026 01:14 PM
Reiss Nelson has officially departed Arsenal following a mutual agreement to terminate his contract, bringing an end to an 18-year association with the North London club.
His exit officially severs the final on-field link to the Arsène Wenger era, as Nelson was the last remaining player at North London to have featured under the iconic manager.
Joining the Arsenal Academy in 2008 at just eight years old, Nelson steadily rose through the youth ranks before signing his first professional contract in December 2016, shortly after turning 17.
Arsenal debut
He made his senior debut under Wenger on August 6, 2017, coming on as a late substitute in the FA Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley Stadium, a match Arsenal won 4–1 on penalties following a 1–1 draw.
He went on to collect both FA Cup and Community Shield honours during Wenger’s final seasons in charge.
After finding regular first-team minutes hard to come by in recent seasons, the wide attacker sought competitive game time across West London via successive loan spells; he was first loaned to Fulham, spending the entire 2024/25 campaign at Craven Cottage, followed by a stint at Brentford.
Memorable strike vs AFC Bournemouth
Despite his limited starts, Nelson delivered one of the most memorable Emirates moments of recent times on March 4, 2023. Stepping off the bench against Bournemouth, he struck a sensational 97th-minute half-volley from inside the box to seal a dramatic 3–2 comeback victory.
The goal sparked wild celebrations and kept Arsenal five points clear at the Premier League summit, though the Gunners ultimately finished runners-up behind Manchester City with 84 points.
Overall, he made 90 first-team appearances, scoring eight goals and assisting nine times. He also won the FA Cup in 2020 and played his part in our FA Community Shield victories in 2017 and 2020.
Now a free agent, Nelson faces no immediate pressure to decide his future. With interest mounting from clubs in England and abroad, the 26-year-old is expected to take his time evaluating his options before committing to his next career move.
