Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has opened up about the emotional toll of being released by Arsenal as a teenager, revealing how the setback brought him to tears when he faced his former club for the first time.
Eze, who has Nigerian heritage, was cut from Arsenal’s youth setup at the age of 13, a blow that nearly derailed his footballing dreams.
Reflecting on that period, he admitted the experience was tough to process, especially when he had to play against the Gunners after joining Fulham.
“I remember facing Arsenal a few months after being released by them and welling up because of all the emotions and not dealing properly with the feelings of being released,” Eze told BBC Sport.
“I didn’t know how to process it. I had tears ready to pour down my face.”
Despite the early disappointment, Eze persevered, moving through the ranks of various London clubs before making his Premier League breakthrough with Crystal Palace.
His resilience and commitment to the sport have seen him emerge as one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the English top flight.
Reflecting on his journey, Eze added, “I feel like the journey I’ve been on has forced me to grow up, improve and be better.
“I know so many people who got released from one club, got released from Arsenal and that was it – they stopped playing.
“The fact I am in this position, I can only say God thank you because I could be anywhere doing anything. But the love of football never left.”
