Eddie Nketiah knows what it's like to feel rejection in his career. The 20-year-old was released by Chelsea at the age of 14 as they deemed him 'too small'.
That would dent the confidence of most young players yet Nketiah came back stronger, going on to join Arsenal and dominate the academy games which made him one of the hottest prospects at Hale End.
Seven years on from being released, Nketiah is England's Under-21s all-time record goalscorer and vying for a place in the starting line-up alongside Alexandre Lacazette.
Indeed, Lacazette was a player who himself would have felt rejection this summer as Arsenal actively looked to move him on from the club. There was interest from Atletico Madrid but nobody could stump up the cash for a player Arsenal value at £40million plus.
Nketiah, who scored five goals in 19 appearances during a loan spell with Leeds last season, admitted that he has worked hard on improving his physique over the past few months, as he looks to compete for a place in Arsenal's starting XI.
“During lockdown, I worked really hard on getting bigger and better on the ball. I’ve used the time well and it’s good people can see the hard work," said Nketiah.
“It’s something I wanted to do. As you go through the levels, it gets a lot harder physically so to be able to show your technique, you need that strength to cope with it.
“It’s nice to show that off a bit on the pitch.”
After returning from his loan spell at Leeds, Nketiah forced his way into Mikel Arteta's plans where he scored four goals in 10 appearances.
He's impressed in a number of cameo appearances this season and his highlights include scoring the winner against Leicester in the Carabao Cup third round tie at the King Power Stadium.
What is Nketiah's rise down to? According to the man himself his parents have a huge influence on his mentality and it's one of the reasons he was able to make improvements in his game over lockdown.
“They made sure I was eating the right food and had the right gym equipment," he continued.
“They’re very demanding parents who are always trying to get the best out of me. It’s great to have that support.”
Breaking into the starting line-up is Nketiah's next challenge at Arsenal. He's one of a number of youngsters who is close to securing a regular starting spot, but Lacazette is his biggest obstacle to achieving that.
Lacazette has three goals to his name this season and started the campaign in fine form, albeit frustrating many supporters with underwhelming, low-energy performances that mask the opposite of what Nketiah produces on the pitch.
The Frenchman is an experienced striker who has entered the peak of his career and there's no doubt that this is a huge season for him. Knowing in the back of his mind that Arsenal would have let him go over the summer may be one reason why he his performances have regressed on the whole.
Meanwhile, Nketiah - who has one goal in seven appearances this season - waits in the shadows for his opportunity. He will undoubtedly get that chance over the coming months, with the congested fixture list causing injuries and opening up places for the fringe players to get game time across all competitions.
He's been patient so far and at such a young age it's no real surprise to see Arteta being patient with him too. However, it can only be a matter of time before the England youngster edges his way into the starting line-up and having experienced rejection in his career, Nketiah knows what he has to do to succeed.
