Reiss Nelson reveals he SNUBBED Tottenham to play for Arsenal
The 17-year-old wingback was at the North London club but turned them down when the club he supported came calling
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REISS NELSON has revealed how he snubbed Tottenham as a youngster to pursue his dream of playing for Arsenal.
The 17-year-old has made five appearances in the Europa League and Carabao Cup and is one of the Gunners most highly-rated prospects.
But the wing-back admitted he could have joined Spurs' academy but, as an Arsenal fan, it was not a hard decision to turn them down.
Nelson told the Arsenal Weekly Podcast: “I was nine years old, I used to play for a team in Catford.
“I would get up every morning with my brother, get on the train and travel to Catford three times a week.
“I was there for about two months playing for a team called Moonshot FC. I got scouted for Tottenham and was there for three to four weeks before a phone call from Arsenal came.
"The first session they wanted to sign me so, happy days, I didn’t look back.
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Nelson burst onto the scene this season after being handed a number of opportunities since Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's £40million move to Liverpool.
He now trains mainly with the first-team and has praised the old guard who are helping him fulfil his promise when he gets his chances.
Nelson added: "It was different coming from Hale End to London Colney.
“The coaching is so much different and the environment – you’ve got loads of first team players and world-class players there.
“Alex Iwobi has really helped me. He’s always making jokes and seeing I’m okay.
“[Alexandre] Lacazette as well is a nice guy. [Mesut] Ozil, Hector [Bellerin] as well – those are the boys that have taken me in as a person and a footballer as well.”