Eberechi Eze has shared that he ‘cried’ as a youngster when he was released by Arsenal, as he told Rising Ballers.
The Crystal Palace playmaker shared that it was his ‘dream’ to play for Arsenal, before he was let go at just 13.
There were a number of rejections during Eze’s early career, but the young English talent kept picking himself up from the canvas.
Eventually, he ended up on QPR’s doorstep where the 23-year-old started to make a name for himself, before landing himself on the Premier League doorstep.
Whilst being let go by Arsenal would have been hard to take for Eze, he is now singing and dancing to Palace’s tune and doing a really good job of it.
But it still wasn’t easy for the ball-carrying expert, as he explained what he went through during his early footballing life.
“Started off at Arsenal, I think I was eight,” said Eze. “I got released when I was 13. I went to Fulham. From there I went to Reading. Then got released from there
“Bare rejections. A lot of rejections. Then went to Millwall having to then try and prove yourself again, which is difficult. It didn’t work out and I got released from there.
“Arsenal was probably the hardest. My dream was to play for them. Hearing them say ‘no’ at 13 was tough. I remember training after I got released and I couldn’t focus because I was crying.
“But it helped me so much in all the other rejections because, if I can get through Arsenal releasing me, then I can get through any other team releasing me.”
Given the talent at Eze’s feet, it could be argued that he would get into Arsenal’s XI, at this moment in time.
Mikel Arteta already has a few young guns balling in north London, with Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka putting their name up in lights.
The Hale-End duo are England internationals, and if it wasn’t for Eze’s injury prior to Euro 2020, then he probably could have earned a cap also.
But there is no doubt that the Palace superstar is on that track and it won’t be too long before he is donning the Three Lions shirt.
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