Arsenal star Daniel Oyetunde admits he had a trial with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur but ended up joining the Gunners after their London neighbors ‘never offered a CONTRACT’.
While a regular with Arsenal’s Under 18s, Daniel Oyetunde is being afforded the opportunity to prove he can make the step up to the next level behind the scenes at London Colney.
Speaking to the official Arsenal website, the teenage striker – who models his game on Didier Drogba and Gunners legend Thierry Henry – confirms that he is now a regular presence on the training pitch with the Under 21st these days, Oyetunde on the right track as he looks to force his way into Mikel Arteta’s thinking later down the line.
“I’ve trained with the Under 21s numerous times now. It’s a higher level than the Under 18s,” Oyetunde smiles. “The game is a lot more physical and demanding.
“I looked up to the likes of Didier Drogba. He was such a brilliant striker and a big-game player who will always be remembered for his ‘clutch’ goals.
“However, I also watched a lot of Thierry Henry’s highlights. I was just amazed at how good he was in his prime. I try to mould my game on both Drogba and Henry.”
If Oyetunde ends up being half as prolific as two of the Premier League’s most iconic attackers, there could be a bright future waiting for him at the Emirates Stadium.
Oyetunde has a goal and an assist in three games for the Under 18s already this season. And he could have ended up on the other side of North London had Arsenal’s bitter rivals taken the chance to snap him up.
“I wasn’t too nervous (when joining Arsenal). I’d been on trial at Tottenham a year earlier so I knew what to expect,” he adds.
“Even though I was never offered a contract there (at Spurs), it gave me the opportunity to experience the level of ability I needed to be at if I wanted to succeed at an academy.
“My trial here started off on the right footing. In our first game against Crystal Palace, I managed to get two assists. And then, within four weeks of my eight-week trial, I was offered a contract at the club.”