English Born Ghanaian Forward Eddie Nketiah Reveals How Chelsea Let Him Go as a Teenager

• Arsenal forward Eddie Nketiah has spoken about how Chelsea let him leave despite being one of the best young forwards in the academy
• Nketiah started his football with the Blues before he joined Arsenal after he was released by Chelsea's U14
• The London-born striker recently signed a new contract with Arsenal and he is set to join the Ghana national team ahead of the World Cup

Incoming Ghana striker, Eddie Nketiah, has shared the story behind his Chelsea exit and joining Arsenal as a teenager.

The Arsenal forward, who recently signed a contract extension with the Gunners, started his career at rivals Chelsea.

In an interview with the Beautiful Game Podcast, Nketiah revealed he was surprised by his release but was lucky to join Arsenal within a short period.

"It wasn't really my choice because I was at Chelsea from U10's to U14's and I got released at the end of U14, and that's kind of my big setback in football. It came to me as a surprise," he said.

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"I was same age as Declan (Rice), Mason (Mount). Obviously, as a kid all you is playing football and going to school and at school you are known as the kid that plays for Chelsea. It's like a part of you and it's hard to let go.

"It was tough to take especially at the time I was doing so well. I was a bit smaller than everyone else physically but I was still doing well technically. I was good, I was scoring goals so it came as a big shock.

"Luckily, there was not too long a gap between the two and funny enough Charlie Gilmour used to play at Arsenal and anytime I play against them I score. I played them twice that year and scored twice so Charlie reached out and told me his father was a scout at Arsenal, and would you be interested, I told him, of course."

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Eddie Nketiah extended his stay at Arsenal and will wear the iconic number 14 jersey from next season.

Eddie Nketiah excited to extend his contract at Arsenal

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that incoming Ghanaian forward Eddie Nketiah says he has an 'unfinished business' at Arsenal following his five-year contract extension with the Gunners.

The 23-year-old is out of contract at Arsenal at the end of the season but his performances this year have encouraged the Gunners to keep hold of him.

Nektiah made 92 first-team appearances and scored 23 goals since his first-team debut in 2017.