Why I did not join Arsenal

Chukwueze was one of the biggest stars to come out of the 2015 Under-17 World Cup, and he earned a move to Europe soon after his heroics

Super Eagles forward Samuel Chukwueze has revealed that he was close to joining Arsenal after the Under-17 World Cup in 2015, but the deal fell through because they could not agree on terms with his academy.

Soccernet.ng reports that Chukwueze was one of the best players to come out of the squad that won the Under-17 World in 2015.

Following his exploits at the tournament in Chile, some teams came calling for his signature. Chukwueze has now revealed that one of the clubs interested in him then was English Premier League giants Arsenal.

“From the [2015] World Cup I went to Arsenal to sign a contract, but it got complicated because they didn’t reach an agreement with my academy,” Chukwueze told El Peridoico Mediterraneo per Express.

“I went through Salzburg and Porto before being lucky enough to come to Villarreal. And I signed a pre-contract at the age of 17.

“They told me that I had to return at the age of 18 before signing the final contract as a professional. I said, ‘Okay, no problem.’ I returned to Nigeria and started training with my academy again,” he added.

The decision has paid off for Chukwueze as he has grown and developed at Villarreal where the pressure is lesser compared to the Premier League.

Nonetheless, there is still a need for improvement as the Super Eagles star is yet to reach his maximum potential.