Jayden Nelson of Austin FC trying to get around an FC Dallas player
By Phil West profile image Phil West
2 min read

Austin FC makes Jayden Nelson move to Bolton official

Confirming what Austin FC fans knew through reports, Canadian winger Jayden Nelson is leaving Austin FC for Bolton after just a little over half a season with the club.

Austin FC announced Wednesday morning — following his goodbyes to teammates on Saturday night and a Tom Bogert report on Monday — that Jayden Nelson is moving to Bolton Wanderers F.C. in the English Championship.

The club clarified reports on the incoming money to offset the $1.25 million in General Allocation Money the club used to bring him over from Vancouver Whitecaps FC last December. Austin will get $1.1 million in guaranteed compensation and could receive up to $1.225 million in additional compensation, per the press release if certain conditions are met. Austin also retains a sell-on percentage of a potential future transfer involving Nelson.

“Jayden expressed a desire to make a move to Europe at this stage of his career, and his transfer to Bolton is a great outcome for both clubs as well as for Jayden,” said Austin FC interim head coach Davy Arnaud by way of press release. “We wish him nothing but the best for his time in England and our leadership group felt that accepting this offer continues our efforts to strengthen the club’s position as we look to the future.”

As covered in our Monday story highlighting the report, palpable tensions between Arnaud and Nelson and Nelson's limited post-World Cup minutes in Arnaud's new system — focused on wingbacks rather than pure wingers as wide players, and inverted wide players at that — hinted that Nelson might not be long for Verde. The quote's focus on being great for Austin as well as Bolton either hints that Arnaud feels this is an addition by subtraction move and wants that expressed with a veneer of diplomacy, or perhaps it hints that the funds will be used to secure a yet-to-be-announced inbound player who better fits the evolving new system.

Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. For more coverage, check out Emergency Podcast! (an Austin FC Podcast) wherever you get your podcasts.

By Phil West profile image Phil West
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