England-born Ghanaian striker Eddie Nketiah has shared his reflections on being part of Arsenal’s first-team squad during the 2017 pre-season and his excitement at being a key member of the team in the current pre-season tour in the United States.
In an interview with the club’s media team, Nketiah recalled the thrill of his initial involvement with the senior squad, describing it as an “amazing” experience.
As a young player alongside Joe Willock and Reiss Nelson, Nketiah experienced the high level of talent in the squad and the excitement of stepping up to senior football.
“It was amazing. It was a really talented squad at the time. I was young but me, Joe [Willock] and Reiss [Nelson] were together, so it was amazing,” Nketiah reflected. “To have that first taste of senior football was a really good experience.”
He continued, “You’re nervous, excited, and eager. You just want to make your mark and enjoy it. I think it’s really good when you go away because you can see how the top players work on a day-to-day basis. That’s what I was able to see – how they recover from training sessions, how they prepare for the games up close. It shows you the level you need to get to and allows you to keep progressing.”
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Now, years later, Nketiah has returned to the pre-season tour with Arsenal as an established first-team player, travelling with the squad to the U.S. for matches against Bournemouth, Manchester United, and Liverpool.
His experiences from earlier years continue to inspire him as he aims to build on his growth and contribute significantly to the team’s success in the upcoming season.
The team hopes to build on their impressive performances in the previous seasons to compete for laurels in the upcoming season.
