Roma boss Jose Mourinho 'targets Reiss Nelson amid Arsenal contract doubts'

An Arsenal winger could make a summer move to Jose Mourinho’s Roma, it has been claimed.

Arsenal’s impressive campaign has hit a stumbling block at the business end of the season.

Mikel Arteta’s men have squandered two-goal leads to claim a draw in consecutive weeks, with their lead over Manchester City having been cut from eight points to just four points.

While the Gunners still have the title in their own hands, Pep Guardiola’s men have a game in hand over the league leaders, while the two teams are due to play one another later this month at the Etihad Stadium.

Though the title is by no means sewn up, behind the scenes Arsenal’s recruitment team will already have one eye on the summer and next season.

While the club have been linked to several summer targets, there are due to be a number of outgoings too.

One player that could depart Arsenal is Hale End graduate Reiss Nelson. As per the Mail Online, the Gunners have opened talks with the 23-year-old over a bumper new deal, however, the player could reject the proposal in the hunt for more regular first-team action.

Reiss Nelson to Roma?

According to Italian publication Tuttomercatoweb, Roma have made contact with Nelson’s representatives.

Mourinho’s side are not the only club thought to be keeping a close eye on the winger, with the likes of Aston Villa and Brighton also interested.

Meanwhile, on the continent, Roma’s Serie A rivals Atalanta and Ligue 1 club Rennes have also reportedly registered an interest.

The Italian publication claims that though Nelson, who Arteta recently labelled as “special”, wants to stay with his boyhood club, if a new deal cannot be agreed he has many options to consider across Europe.

And the success of English stars Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori with Roma and AC Milan respectively may convince Nelson to take the same leap and move to Serie A in a bid to progress his career.

Nelson could enjoy similar success as the pair should he also move to Italy, having already played abroad on loan at both Hoffenheim and Feyenoord.