Breaking into a Premier League team is hard for any youngster, but particularly if you happen to play for one of the top six.
Such is the money floating around, never mind the talent in the first team squads, developing youngsters and giving them their chance is not a top priority for most.
Even at clubs like Arsenal, who have focused on youth down the years, making the grade is tough. That’s something Jeff Reine-Adelaide can attest to.
The French midfielder joined Arsenal in 2015 when he was just 17-years-old, departing his homeland for a shot at the big time.
His time in London would not prove to be a happy one, though, as he kicked around the Under 23 squad for several years and made only eight first-team appearances in total.
Last summer he elected to move to Angers in search of first-team football, a decision that proved to be a smart one for him.
egistered four assists in 47 games to help Angers finish mid-table, saw Lyon come calling this summer, paying £22m to bring him to the club.
That’s naturally led to some reflection from Arsenal’s end, but Reine-Adelaide admits he had to leave for the playing time he needed.
“We’re going to say that Arsenal was a little complicated,” he told L’Equipe.
“I arrived young (at the age of seventeen in 2015), there was a lot of competition, and I had to learn.
“I wanted to go elsewhere for playing time (in Angers), and it turns out that it was a worthwhile choice, given where I am.”
