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“Arsenal rejecting me made me doubt i would make it in football” – Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze

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Crystal Palace’s £17 million ($22m) summer signing, Eberechi Eze, has revealed how his rejection by Arsenal and Fulham at a young age helped propel him to stardom.

Eze, whose mum and dad are Nigerians, has played for England Under-21s’ but before he found success he was released by Arsenal aged 13 and tried his luck at a series of other clubs like Fulham, Reading and Millwall, who all declined his services.

Eze worked part-time in a UK shop chain while studying in college, before he was signed by Queen’s Park Rangers in 2016.

Fast forward to 2020 and he is now a premier league star.

Eze has now admitted that he was concerned that his dream might never have come to pass.

“Of course, you have doubts,” Eze said at England’s training centre at St. George’s Park on Wednesday November 11.

“You have doubts in your thinking of whether you’re going to get your professional contract, whether you’re going to be what you hoped you’d be.

“It has built huge resilience in me; I think being released, I’m sure loads of players will tell you this, being released is not the best feeling and you’re not in the best space mentally.

‘But of course, as a footballer, not just a footballer, but anyone, you have to be strong, you have to be courageous.

“You have to get back up again, not allow your setbacks to determine where you end up in life. You have to keep moving forward. For me, I feel that’s something that was put into me, was forced into me after being released – I had to get up and be strong.

“But for me, it was more the support my family and people around me that continue to instil, that faith in me – and being religious as well.

“Having faith was huge for me, I would always believe that I would get to where I hope to get to and thankfully, and thanks to God, it has worked out.”

Eze grew up in Greenwich, London and said he and his family suffered financial troubles before he started making money.

“I didn’t come from a rich family or anything like that, my parents did what they could and try their best to help me and my brothers and my sister to get through life. I know the struggle that they’ve been through, it wasn’t easy for them even to gather money for us to look after us,” he added.

“But that’s why it was more of a relief because I can take some pressure off them and help them a bit and it’s not so much of a hand-to-mouth sort of situation.

“I finally got the pro contract that I was praying for, endlessly. And for my family, knowing that I’m now in a position where I can grow and progress along if I work hard, I can grow and be able to help them out of whatever situation that we were in back then.

“That’s why it was more of a relief because we had been in a situation without a club for a while and was still working hard still doing what we can but the fact that it came eventually and came quite late, it was honestly a grateful moment.

“I can’t relax because you’re still working hard but a bit of pressure is off now.”

Eze, is now as a key player for Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace side but says game hasn’t affected his mentality.

“You know how I feel about myself? I feel the same as how I felt when I was at QPR,” he continued.

“So it’s not much of a difference for me. I know other people may look at me differently, but for me, the way that me and my family have been and how they’ve helped me and supported me, I can’t look at it any differently.”

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So talented: Watch Video of Gunners starlet Catalin Cirjan, who scored two goal with four assists in two games

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Catalin Cirjan is one of the Arsenal under-23s player that produced an impressive performances so far this season.

The 17-year-old midfielder excelled with the Gunners Under-18s last season after joining as a scholar from Romanian side Viitorul Domnesti in July 2019.

Just a few months later, Cirjan had earned himself his first professional contract, and this season, he’s stepped up to the Under-23s.

As a central midfielder, Cirjan has been produced standout performer, made three appearances for the Under-23s this season, scored two goals and contributed four assists.

Cirjan, was also part of academy gems that Mikel Arteta brought to train with the senior setup in recent days.

And the Romania youth international ending up with brilliant goal during his first training with Arsenal first-team.

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So talented: Watch Hakim Ziyech all two goals & assist in Morocco 4-1 win over Central African Republic

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Hakim Ziyech’s brilliant form for the club and country continued on Friday as he played a key role in Morocco’s 4-1 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier win over Central African Republic.

Introduced just before the hour mark in Morocco’s friendly win over Senegal, Ziyech, 27, wouldn’t only come through the game injury-free but also claimed an assist from an inch-perfect set-piece delivery.

Since that outing, the technically gifted Morocco winger brought his international form to club level as he’s been very impressive in a Chelsea shirt over the past month.

Following a few substitute appearances as head coach Frank Lampard eased Ziyech into action, the winger has nailed down a spot on the right-wing side of the Blues’ front three.

Ziyech marked his first two starts with goals against Krasnodar and Burnley, before turning in arguably his finest display for the west London outfit to date last weekend.

He contributed assist for Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva’s goals, had a major hand in Tammy Abraham’s equaliser and in total created half a dozen chances in a man-of-the-match displays against Sheffield United.

A goal would have capped off what was an outstanding evening for the talented winger, although he did experience the scoring feeling for Morocco on Friday night.

The attacking midfielder scored two goals in the space of three first-half minutes and also recorded an assist as Morocco beat Central African Republic 4-1 in their Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.

He started in a central attacking role for the Atlas Lions in Casablanca and it was in that position he found a pocket of space to help break the deadlock after just 10 minutes of the game.

Picking up possession on the half-turn, he had time to assess his options and threaded a perfect pass forward that dissected the Central Africa Republic defence. Inter’s Achraf Hakimi was the beneficiary, tucking his finish inside the near post to give Morocco an early lead.

After conceding an equaliser, Hakim Ziyech came to the fore with two goals in as many minutes. His first came from the penalty spot, a powerful effort that the stopper got hands to but couldn’t keep out.

Moment later, after exchanging passes from a short corner, the attacking midfielder whipped in a fizzing low effort with that trusty left foot that flew all the wag in from thr right flank.

Ziyech was withdrawn for the final 18 minutes with the score 4-1, which is how is finished, leaving Morocco top of the qualification group at the halfway point.

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So talented: Nikolaj Moller scored brilliant goal in his first training with Arsenal first-team [Watch Video]

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Swedish teenager Nikolaj Moller was among Arsenal youngsters that give opportunity to training with the Gunners first-team at London Colney training base on Friday morning.

Moller, 18, who joined the north London club from Malmo on transfer deadline day last month, has produced some impressive performances with club’s under-23s.

The striker has scored three goals and contributed one assist in four appearances for Arsenal Under-23s. His positive start to life in north London has been rewarded with opportunity to training with the Arsenal first-team for the first time.

With Eleven of Arsenal’s stars away on international duty, the senior training sessions have still been continuing with those who are still in London and Moller included Left-back Joel Lopez, midfielder Tim Akinola were involved, as was goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo. Catalin Cirjan, Joseph Olowu and Jonathan Dinzeyi were also called upon to training with Mikel Arteta’s squad.

As a striker, Moller, meanwhile, ending up with brilliant goal in London Colney training base on Friday morning.

Reiss Nelson, who missed Gunners last two games with injury problems was involved at London Colney and looked sharp while Emile Smith Rowe, Shkodran Mustafi, and those not called up for international were put through their paces at the club’s London Colney training base.

And there was an interesting exchange between Mikel Arteta and Alexandre Lacazette while Rob Holding, David Luiz, Joe Willock, and Smith Rowe are taking part in a rondo drill.

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