Alexandre Lacazette has been impressed with Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah in his limited time with Arsenal this season.
Lacazette was full of praise for Nelson, who has started to break through into the first-team this season, making an appearance in the Community Shield and in the Europa League.
The French international said: “I think Reiss is very good. I believe he will be a top player for the club. He already impressed me during pre-season and it’s great to see what he’s been doing for the under-23s,” reports Arsenal.com.
“His stats are very good and he’s been performing well. When he’s played with us, he’s shown that he has real quality.”
Lacazette was also asked if there were any other players who had impressed him in training. He picked out 18-year-old striker Eddie Nketiah, saying: “I really like Eddie as well. He’s a great striker at the academy. He is very calm in front of goal and has great technique.”
I believe, Nketiah is similar to Lacazette in the way that he finishes chances clinically, something the Gunners have been missing in recent seasons.
Meanwhile, Nelson loves to take players on, and recently he’s stepped up his goal threat as well. He’s become more confident to take chances on and becoming the youth team’s top scorer as a result.
It’s hard to deny the pair are in great form for the academy. In the five u23 matches so far, Nketiah and Nelson have scored a combined nine goals, with the former providing one assist to add to that.
Given that Arsenal’s u23s have only scored 11 goals in total, the duo have provided most of the attacking threat all on their own. For me, Lacazette’s comments prove such form at youth level doesn’t go unnoticed by the first-team players.
Now they just have to try and take their opportunities with the senior side when they get them.