Teenage RB reveals he was offered contracts by Chelsea, Spurs before Arsenal move 

Golden Eaglets-eligible defender Josh Nichols has revealed that he was offered contracts by Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur before joining Arsenal's Hale End Academy. 

Nichols played for Sunday League team Euro Dagenham for a year or two before moving to the West Ham Academy. 

Originally a striker, he was moved from an attacker to fullback by the Arsenal youth team coaches at U14 level. 

He is in the first year of his scholarship at Arsenal and has established himself as a key player for Jack Wilshere's U18 side having been involved in all the matches they've played in the U18 Premier League this season.  

The Gunners showed faith in the right-back by offering him scholarship terms as he was injured for almost the whole of the season in his U15 year and played just one game. 

Chatting to Arsenal's official website on his footballing journey, Nichols said : "I joined Chelsea at pre-academy level and was there for the under-8 season.

"I actually got offered a contract with them, but because it was too far from Dagenham and I was too young for digs, we had to look for another club.

"I ended up at the rivals... Tottenham! I was training with their 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, I worked hard and I finally got signed."

Nichols concluded by saying that he is aiming to play international football for England's Young Lions and hopes to be offered a professional contract by the end of this season. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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