“Hulk” - Reiss Nelson gives new nickname to Arsenal star after pre-season clash vs AC Milan

Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson recently gave a new nickname to teammate Kai Havertz. He labeled the German as "Hulk" following their 1-0 win over AC Milan.

The Gunners faced Milan in a pre-season fixture at the Singapore National Stadium on Wednesday, July 23. They won 1-0 in regulation time via a 53rd-minute goal from Bukayo Saka. However, there was still a penalty shootout, which Milan won 6-5.

Havertz started the game and played 79 minutes for Arsenal. After the game, he uploaded a picture of himself on Instagram with the caption:

"Good first test in Singapore! 🇸🇬"

Reiss Nelson commented on it, writing:

"Hulk"

This comes after Havertz appeared to have bulked up in the last few months. After the clash against Milan, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said about the German (via Arsenal Insider):

“Yeah, he’s in a very good place, I think the game that he had, I think he was in three or four times, he was completely free, and the ball arrived to him, his work rate, what he offers to the team, it’s top.

“So, he scored against Watford, today he was very close a couple of times as well, overall very happy with him.”

Havertz missed a few months last season due to a hamstring injury that required him to undergo surgery.

Mikel Arteta provides injury update after Arsenal's win over AC Milan

Defenders Jurrien Timber and Gabriel Magalhaes were absent from the north London side's squad in their pre-season win over AC Milan in Singapore on Wednesday. After the game, Mikel Arteta shared that Timber hasn't traveled with the squad yet. Meanwhile, Gabriel had a little niggle.

Arteta said (via Arsenal.com):

"Jurrien is still not there, he's not fully trained yet with us, and Gabi had a little niggle the other day in training, and because of the fact that he's been out for so long as well, we have to manage him, I mean, we've been in Spain, different pitch, different conditions, go to the UK, different ones come here, and there are a lot of changes, so we have to minimise the risk with him."

Timber has been out of action since May, while Gabriel has been out since April due to their respective injuries.

The Gunners, meanwhile, will next face Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Villarreal in pre-season. They will host Athletic Club in the Emirates Cup before their 2025-26 Premier League opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 17.

About the author

Aditya has been working as a European football journalist and editor for Sportskeeda for close to 4 years. He boasts a total experience of over 7 years, and always aims to inculcate proper context in his articles, making the most of his prior stints in writing and marketing across a number of different industries over the years. He has also played football at college level for 2 years.

A B.Tech. graduate, Aditya's journey as an ardent football fan began after watching the elegant maestro Zinedine Zidane in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and his infamous headbutt on Marco Materazzi in the final. He has been a fan of Tottenham Hotspur's front foot and creative football since 2008 and connect's with the club's underdog status.

Aditya, who is a Sportskeeda 'Long-form Editor of the Month' award winner, is a big admirer of Luka Modric's elegant and hard-working style of play. His favorite manager is Carlo Ancelotti because the Italian allows his players enough freedom in an age where micromanagement is the established norm.

Aditya feels Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala could replicate the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry due to their incredible collective potential. In his free time, he likes to read classical fiction, travel to places, and explore a variety of foods.

Know More

Edited by Aditya Singh