Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah has insisted that his time with Leeds United helped develop him for first-team football in the Premier League.
The England Under-21s forward spent the first half of the campaign on loan at Elland Road before being recalled at the start of the January transfer window.
Having impressed new Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta during that month, Nketiah was kept at the Emirates rather than returning to the Championship on a second loan spell.
Arteta's faith was rewarded by the 20-year-old on Sunday as he scored his first Premier League goal of the season during the Gunners' 3-2 win over Everton.
Since returning in January, Nketiah has started two matches for Arsenal in the Premier League, the same number he managed at Leeds in the entire first half of the campaign.
Despite struggling to break into Marcelo Bielsa's starting XI during his time in West Yorkshire, Nketiah has insisted his time with Leeds aided his development for top-flight football.
"My Leeds experience was good for me, I learned as a player," he told Football.London after scoring his first Premier League goal of the season.
"I might not have played as much as I want but I had good moments when I was there when I came on and played. It's just about learning and developing.
"It started really well, obviously I came on and if you check my minutes to goal ratio it's quite good but obviously it's just how things are. Sometimes the manager makes his decision and you have to deal with it.
"It's about learning from that environment. It's a very good environment to be in, it's a very demanding coach and I learned a lot. You have to learn about yourself and take each opportunity as it comes.
"Even at the beginning of the season the manager wanted me to stay but I thought it would be good for me to learn in a new environment and take myself out of the comfort zone a bit.
"I think I developed in that environment but obviously now it is a different situation, speaking to Mikel and the belief he showed in me I really did believe he would give me opportunities if I continued to work hard.
"I think all my life that is what I have done and Arsenal are obviously a top club and I support them so I always wanted to play here so it is the best thing to have this opportunity now and I just want to keep improving and hopefully take more chances."
