Young, English players going overseas to search for playing opportunities is becoming more and more popular. Maybe it's the example set by Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho that shows his peers that success can be found away from the Premier League.
The former Manchester City youngster has found regular playing time in Germany, and his form has caught eyes across the world, and earned him his first England caps.
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One player that has followed in Sancho's footsteps, albeit on a temporary basis is Arsenal youngster Reiss Nelson. The 19-year-old signed a season long loan with German side TSG Hoffenheim in June 2018, and has been enjoying his time away from England.
Speaking to Soccerbible , the right winger explained how the move came about.
"For me, at the time, I just felt that I needed to showcase myself more and get more game time," he said.
"I spoke to the manager and he said that Germany would be a good option for me. I spoke to the people close to me as well and we all decided as a team that I’d head over to Germany. So I went over, trained hard and the results have started to show."
Nelson has played 19 times in the Bundesliga so far this season, scoring seven goals and providing one assist. He has also made five appearances in the Champions League.
The England U21 international explained what attracts young English players to trying his luck in a different country.
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"It’s because so much English talent has gone over to Europe and got into teams. They’ve had a chance to show what they can do. I think there’s so much talent in England and a lot of players can’t get the game time they would like. So when they see the likes of Jadon Sancho or Reece Oxford, for example, getting game time abroad, it gets people thinking “Could I do the same?” and “I believe I’m good enough”.
"I have belief in myself to do things like that and embrace those opportunities and I think many other players want to follow the footsteps of people who have done well abroad."
Nelson signed a new contract with Arsenal before heading out on loan. He is due back at the Emirates Stadium at the start of the 2019/20 season, where he will be hoping that he can make the breakthrough into Unai Emery's team.
The youngster says that his time in Germany has helped him to mature as a person as well as a player.
"The whole experience at Hoffenheim has been special." he reflected.
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"I’ll just look back and be happy that I went out on loan to show everyone what I can do.
"Come the end, I want to be thankful that it all worked out well. I like the fact that I’ve had the experience of living on my own, coming to a different place – maturing in the right way."
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