Reiss Nelson Reveals How He Ditched Tottenham to Join Arsenal as a Youth Team Player

Reiss Nelson has revealed that he was actually snapped up by Arsenal as a youth player following a game he played for their north London rivals, Tottenham. The

Reiss Nelson has revealed that he was actually snapped up by Arsenal as a youth player following a game he played for their north London rivals, Tottenham.

The 19-year-old was invited to play an academy game for Spurs after the club had spotted his talent early on, but Nelson's performance during the match caught the attention of a handful of other clubs who wanted him on their books.

The Arsenal star, who is currently on loan with German side TSG Hoffenheim, revealed that he jumped at the chance to join the Gunners after hearing of their interest despite being invited to trials at Tottenham.

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"I had a game for [Tottenham], played very well and then I got home that night and I had a lot of teams calling me," Nelson told The Telegraph.

"It was so late, and I had school the next morning, but at 12 o’clock Arsenal called and I went directly in the morning to the training ground. Ever since then I have been there."

Nelson got his first taste of first-team football at 15 when he was invited to train with Arsène Wenger's senior side, and the England Under-21 international would go on to make his competitive debut two years later in the Europa League against FC Köln, weeks after a cameo appearance in the Community Sheild.

The teenager was quickly hyped up by the fanbase at Emirates Stadium and he's gone on to make 16 appearances for their first-team.

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His first real chance at senior football didn't come until this season, however, where Nelson scored six goals and claimed an assist in his first seven Bundesliga games.

The 19-year-old has slowly been dropping down the pecking order in Sinsheim as the season's gone on and he hasn't started a match for Hoffenheim since December.