After Declan Rice’s £105m move to Arsenal from West Ham over the summer, he has linked up with a familiar face.
Both Rice and Eddie Nketiah began their careers as kids playing for Chelsea’s academy.
However, the pair were both released as youngsters, with Rice joining West Ham and Nketiah Arsenal.
Now back together at the Emirates and on England duty, Nketiah has been reflecting on his axe from Chelsea:
“It is funny how life works sometimes,” the striker said. “We have done the full 360 to be back together. We had different journeys to get here, but we are all on the same path for club and country.
“I think it did [make me more determined]. I was there from the ages of nine and 14 and it came as a shock to me because I was doing well at the time.
“It gives you that extra bit of motivation and resilience when times are hard. I’m able to dig a level deeper than maybe some people can or don’t want to go into. It’s all part of the experience.
“Some boys might not have experienced it but then they will have had lows in their careers. This was my journey and it has helped me by who I am today.”
