Arsenal have reportedly tabled a third offer of a new contract to attacker Reiss Nelson after seeing two renewal offers rejected by the Englishman.
Due to a combination of injuries and competition for starts in attacking areas, Nelson has been restricted to a peripheral role under Mikel Arteta in the 2022-23 campaign.
However, the 23-year-old has come up with significant contributions off the bench, scoring twice and providing an assist in October's 5-0 thumping of Nottingham Forest.
Just over four months later, Nelson set up Ben White's equaliser against Bournemouth before firing home a climactic 97th-minute winner to keep Arsenal five points clear at the top of the table.
The Hale End academy product has not started a single Premier League game this season, though, and as things stand, he can walk away on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.
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Nelson is already believed to have turned down two contract offers from his boyhood club, despite affirming earlier this season that he wanted to remain at the Emirates beyond the summer.
According to CBS, Arsenal have now come forward with a third extension offer for the winger, whom they are trying to convince that he has a long-term future with the club.
However, Arteta may not be able to offer the 23-year-old assurances over his playing time, and a summer exit could still appeal to Nelson in search of regular starts elsewhere.
All of Fulham, West Ham United and Brighton & Hove Albion are said to be in the queue to offer Nelson a contract, while Italian giants AC Milan have also been linked with a move.
Nelson is already playing second fiddle to Bukayo Saka for starts on the right wing, and competition will intensify when Marquinhos returns from his loan spell at Norwich City.
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Furthermore, the Gunners are said to be hoping to add to their attacking ranks with the signing of Bayer Leverkusen's Moussa Diaby, potentially pushing Nelson further down the pecking order.
The former England Under-21 international has just seven goals and seven assists to show from 65 matches in an Arsenal shirt, scoring three goals and setting up three more in 17 outings during the current campaign.
Nelson possesses a certain level of European pedigree, though, having impressed on loan at Hoffenheim and Feyenoord, helping the latter reach the final of the Europa Conference League last season.
Arsenal are already confirmed to be losing Ainsley Maitland-Niles when his contract expires this summer, while Pablo Mari's loan move to Monza will be made permanent after the Milan club secured their Serie A safety.
Midfield protege Charlie Patino is also understood to be heading for the exit door, as is Granit Xhaka, who is supposedly in advanced talks over a £13m move to Leverkusen, although there is nothing to suggest that the Swiss midfielder will be used as a makeweight in negotiations for Diaby.
Ben Knapton
