Chelsea academy graduate and Super Eagles defender, Kenneth Omeruo, has shed more light on why Eberechi Eze was released by Arsenal as a teenager.
Speaking during an interview, Omeruo said the decision was not due to a lack of talent, but rather the highly competitive and unforgiving nature of European youth academies, where players must consistently meet strict performance levels to advance.
“In Europe, every club has the U10s and U11s, and they graduate,” he explained. “Every year, there’s screening; if you don’t get to the next level, they take you out.”
Using Eze as an example, Omeruo noted that the England international—now back at Arsenal after an impressive career build-up—was unable to progress to the next stage at age 13.
“When he was in Arsenal, he couldn’t make it to the next level,” Omeruo said. “It doesn’t mean he wasn’t good enough or that he wouldn’t reach that level. There were other players who were better than him at the time.”
After leaving Arsenal in 2011, Eze moved to Fulham, Reading, and Queens Park Rangers, where he continued his development. His breakthrough at QPR earned him a move to Crystal Palace before rejoining Arsenal last summer.
Eze delivered a standout performance at the weekend, scoring the first hat-trick of his senior career as Arsenal defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 in the north London derby.
About the Author
