Reiss Nelson has opened up on the benefits of his loan spell at Hoffenheim.
The Arsenal youngster made the switch to Germany during last summer's transfer window and enjoyed a superb start to life by netting six goals in his first 11 appearances across all competitions as was named the Bundesliga's rookie of the month for October.
Despite injury halting his progress since the winter as well as being left out of a recent matchday squad by Julian Nagelsmann as an 'educational measure', Nelson insists he learned a lot in the past six months.
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"There have been ups and downs but you get that in football," he told the Daily Mail. "This is my first year really playing professional football and I am enjoying it. I want to go to the very top but it's important to stay grounded and hopefully I can one day achieve a lot of things.
"My German is good… Alles ist gut!"
But it's Nelson's comments about his improvement - in particular off the ball - which should excite Gunners supporters as well as Emery ahead of the new season.
"I have developed. It’s not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well," he added. "I'm working in the gym. I went there as an 18-year-old and I was finding it difficult to put weight on.
"They got me in the gym, they got me doing more weights and I think you can see the improvements in my game.
"I’m more explosive now off the ball. I don’t just need the ball into my feet, I can run in behind and it’s helping a lot."
An example of Nelson's explosiveness was on show for the England U21's on Thursday night as he sprung the offside trap, rounded the Poland keeper and cut the ball back for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to finish.
It's been well documented this season that Emery hasn't had that type of player at his disposal and has been linked with summer moves for Nicolas Pepe and Cengiz Under in a bid to address the lack of natural wide-men in the squad.
Nelson did sign a new contract prior to joining Hoffenheim and these comments could lead to him being heavily involved in the first-team picture under the Spaniard next season.
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