Dribbling Sensation Butler-Oyedeji Reveals How His Move To Arsenal Happened

Arsenal dribbling sensation Nathan Butler-Oyedeji has revealed that Leyton Orient explored the possibility of signing him before the Gunners snatched him from under the nose of The O's.

Butler-Oyedeji has been playing for the Gunners youth teams since the age of seven, rising through the ranks before signing scholarship forms with the north London club before the start of the 2019-2020 season, a scholarship intake also including fellow teenagers of Nigerian descent Miguel Azeez, Daniel Oyegoke, Ovie Ejeheri and Mazeed Ogungbo.

The 18-year-old, who grew up in Walthamstow and played football with his mates at the park, admitted that his family, especially his dad, supports Arsenal.

"My mates would tell me how good I was, but when you're that young, it's hard to make sense of it at all!" Butler-Oyedeji said to Arsenal Matchday Programme for Leeds United.

"Anyway soon after, I joined in a training session in my local area and there was a local scout watching who invited me to trial with Leyton Orient.

"That's when I realized that things were getting serious, but I never expected what happened next.

"After just two weeks of training with Leyton Orient , I was spotted by Arsenal and invited to train with them at six. I remember my parents telling me in the car after training and I was so excited.

"I officially joined one year later and I've been here ever since. To be honest Arsenal is all I've ever known."

This season, Butler-Oyedeji has made five appearances in the U18 Premier League with an assist to his name and helped the Emirates Stadium outfit reach the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel