Teenager admits he turned down Spurs contract to sign for Arsenal academy
Arsenal starlet Josh Nichols has admitted that he turned down a contract offer from Tottenham to sign for their North London rivals.
As one would expect, Spurs and Arsenal often battle it out for the best young talent in London, along with the capital’s other big clubs.
Nichols was one of those, with the Lilywhites being the first to spot the right-back and bring him into their academy. However, the teenager subsequently ended up at Hale End after having a couple of trials with the Gunners.
Nichols has since come on leaps and bounds, having played 6 times for Arsenal Under-18s this season (Transfermarkt), and the 16-year-old is thought of quite highly at the Emirates Stadium.
The right-back has now opened up on how Tottenham were the first club to offer him a contract but revealed that he took the risk of not signing it and going on a second trial with Arsenal, whom he supports.
Nichols told Arsenal’s official website: “I was training with (Spurs’) academy. But then the opportunity came up to go and have a trial at Arsenal; the team that my dad and I support. So I couldn’t turn that down.
“I finished my trial at Hale End but didn’t get offered a contract the first time. So I ended up back at Tottenham. They actually offered me a contract. But then I got a call from a scout called Shaun O’Connor, who said that Arsenal wanted me back for another trial.
“When I got the second call, my family and I had a big decision to make. We weren’t sure whether to sign with Tottenham or to risk it and go back on trial at Arsenal.
“But because I love Arsenal and my parents were positive that I had the ability to get signed, we took that leap of faith. And luckily it paid off!”
Spurs Web Opinion
It is always an advantage for clubs when it comes to recruiting young players who support them as the emotional connection makes it easy for them to do a deal. The same thing worked in Tottenham’s favour when we snapped up Will Lankshear, who was previously in Arsenal’s academy.
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