Arsenal player likes post saying it's 'time to go' after playing in pre-season friendly

An Arsenal player has certainly got fans talking after liking a TikTok comment calling for him to leave the club this summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side continued their pre-season campaign at the Estadi Municipal de Montilivi on Saturday (August 1), with strikes from Kai Havertz, new signing Christos Tzolis, Max Dowman and Gabriel Jesus helping the Premier League champions to a 4-1 win over Spain’s Girona.

The Arsenal boss fielded a strong starting XI, with Riccardo Calafiori, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Havertz and Victor Gyokeres all getting the nod before Arteta made 14 substitutions during the friendly.

One of these substitutions involved Reiss Nelson, who replaced Tzolis in the 61st minute, and despite playing the best part of half an hour, it was his social media activity rather than his performance that got fans talking.

Nelson uploaded a short TikTok of himself dancing around a lavish living room while drinking from a cup and wearing sunglasses.

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Arsenal fans divided on Reiss Nelson's future

Fans quickly weighed in in the comment section, with several discussing his future at the club. The winger has spent the last two seasons out on loan at Fulham and Brentford respectively, with neither spell reigniting his stagnating career.

Nelson even liked a comment which read: “Loved the Bournemouth goal but it’s time for u to go bro. Tell the same to Viera and Jesus; we need your wages for Vini.”

The 26-year-old then liked a second comment urging Arsenal to give him more opportunities this season, as Nelson has made just 90 appearances for the Gunners since signing his first professional contract back in 2016.

The winger also liked several other comments, including one which dubbed him the “pre-season king”, as well as another asking for more from him on the pitch.

One fan even sent a supportive message to Nelson, reading: “Don’t listen to whatever that top comment said. True Arsenal fans will never say anything like that. This club is a family. That Bournemouth goal is genuinely amongst my top five favourite Arsenal moments of all time, moments that include us winning the league last season. As long as you’re still wearing that kit and under contract, you are officially a Gunner and one of our own and you deserve our support till the end. Love you Reiss!”

Nelson is contracted to Arsenal until 2027 and earns a reported basic salary of £100,000 per week, having penned a new long-term deal in 2023, just months after scoring a late winner against Bournemouth during the 2022/23 campaign.

Arsenal continue preparations for their Premier League title defence with a friendly against Real Betis in Dublin, Ireland, on August 5 before facing Borussia Dortmund and Como at the Emirates on August 9 and 12.

The Gunners will then take on Manchester City in the Community Shield on August 16 before their Premier League campaign gets underway at home against newly promoted Coventry on August 21.