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      Ten Premier League stars who have been banished from club training including Sancho and Aubameyang

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      FIERCE, feisty and free-spirited – this list includes players who could strike trepidation into their own managers as well as rival teams.Each of these ten big names in Premier League history have the same claim to fame – or shame.
      Luis Suarez bounced back from his training banishment to produce a legendary Liverpool season and earn his dream Barcelona moveCredit: Getty
      Paul Pogba’s second spell at Man Utd was far longer and filled with more drama but he was barred from training during his first stint thereCredit: Getty
      Some – like Paul Pogba and Luis Suarez – are legends whose careers in England were marred by controversy amid their brilliance.
      Others – such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – had long spells inspiring awe blotted by sudden revelations.
      And a few – step forward Virgil van Dijk – have long-forgotten incidents in their Prem CV.
      There’s also the public spats – none more dramatic than Jadon Sancho’s with his Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
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      But all of them have been banished from club training at some time.
      The numbers easily run into ‘trouble figures’ – but here’s our guide to how ten of these players were forced into solo practice and the effect it had on their careers.
      JADON SANCHO
      The England winger’s Old Trafford future was threatened by a remarkable exchange with Ten Hag.
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      Three Lions’ attacker Jadon Sancho had an incredible public disagreement with his Manchester United manager Erik ten HagCredit: Getty
      Sancho’s omission from a match squad at Arsenal in September 2023 was put down to poor training by his Dutch manager.
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      The 23-year-old hit back on social media at the “completely untrue” claims and added: “I’ve been a scapegoat for a long time.”
      Sancho deleted his post days later during an international break – when United players were given a week off training.
      The Red Devils then gave him an individual training plan – as club chiefs reportedly discussed if he should play for them again.
      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG
      From iconic goalscorer and skipper to sudden outcast – the Gabon hero’s Arsenal stint deteriorated rapidly after what boss Mikel Arteta called his “latest disciplinary breach”.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang landed on his feet at Barca after his Arsenal bust-upCredit: Getty
      The striker was stripped of the club captaincy for reportedly returning late after being given a day’s leave to visit his family in France back in December 2021.
      But amid other claims of dodgy time-keeping, the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace was promptly barred from first-team training.
      Aubameyang moved to Barcelona just two months later before an unhappy 2022-23 season with Chelsea.
      LUIS SUAREZ
      For a player banned for biting three players on three separate occasions, the Uruguayan’s training banishment at Liverpool seems tame by comparison.
      Suarez reacted angrily in the summer of 2013 after claiming the Reds had broken a promise to sell him to Barcelona.
      Then-Anfield manager Brendan Rodgers denied the suggestion – and made him train alone.
      But in a way the outcome was perfect for both parties.
      Suarez went on to hit 31 goals and SAS strike partner Daniel Sturridge 21 – as the first Liverpool frontpair to notch 20 apiece in one campaign since Ian St John and Roger Hunt in 1963/64.
      The Reds missed out on the Prem title to Manchester City by just two points.
      And Suarez was sold at the end of the campaign to Barca – where he formed the all-time great MSN link-up with Lionel Messi and Neymar.
      AINSLEY MAITLAND-NILES
      The versatile Englishman paid the price for an Instagram post on transfer deadline day in August 2021 revealing he wanted to quit Arsenal for Everton.
      The Londoner wrote: “All I wanna do is go where I’m wanted and where I’m gonna play.”
      Gunners’ chief Arteta swiftly told the wideman to train on his own.
      Maitalnd-Niles was, however, brought back into the Arsenal squad for the season, although he never became a regular starter and joined Lyon in August 2023.
      JOEY BARTON
      The hothead midfielder blasted Newcastle on Twitter in August 2011 – and as a result, in his own words, was “predictably” barred from training with the rest of the squad.
      Joey Barton has been involved in many hostile encounters on and off the pitch but it was his words that led to a training ban at NewcastleCredit: AFP
      Four years after winning his only England cap, Barton chose social media to attack the Magpies on their transfer policy and even suggested Toon players were unhappy.
      Boss Alan Pardew isolated Barton in training ahead of a move to QPR the same month.
      DIEGO COSTA
      Best-known for winding up opposition defenders, the hardman forward could be pretty adept at irking his own managers too.
      Then-Chelsea boss Antonio Conte sent the Spain star back to his birth-country Brazil following a row with one of the Blues’ coaches.
      Conte allegedly told Costa by text he was no longer wanted.
      And soon, in September 2017, the targetman got the return to Atletico Madrid that he admitted he wanted.
      Costa was later forced to do a solo spell of training back at Atletico – when manager Diego Simeone ordered him to lose weight.
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      PAUL POGBA
      Despite the soap opera of his second spell at Old Trafford, it was during the Frenchman’s first stint from 2011-2012 when he got banned from team training for a week.
      It summed up the awkward relationship Pogba and agent Mino Raiola had with legendary United chief Sir Alex Ferguson.
      The Red Devils eventually allowed the midfielder to join Juventus.
      United brought him back for £90million in 2016 but Juve re-signed him six years later.
      HENRIKH MKHITARYAN
      Arguably Jose Mourinho’s least successful recruit for Manchester United, the Armenia winger was an outcast just four months after arriving from Borussia Dortmund in June 2016.
      Henrikh Mkhitaryan was signed by Jose Mourinho for Man Utd but his Old Trafford career soon nose-divedCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Mourinho made Mkhitaryan train alone at Carrington.
      Yet his United career somehow continued until January 2018, when he switched to Arsenal as the make-weight in Alexis Sanchez’s move the other way.
      PAPISS CISSE
      The Senegal attacker put his principles first when controversial payday loan company Wonga became Newcastle sponsors in 2013.
      Standing by his Muslim faith, Cisse refused to wear the club shirt with the firm’s name on it.
      Toon chief Alan Pardew made him train on his own.
      But Cisse revived his Newcastle career impressively before joining Shandong Luneng in 2016.
      VIRGIL VAN DIJK
      Southampton ordered the Dutchman to train away from his club-mates when he tried to force a move to Liverpool in the summer of 2017.
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      The Saints wanted to hold VVD – already rated as one of the Prem’s finest ever centre-backs – to his contract.
      He did return to the fold – awkwardly – but hardly played for the whole of the campaign and switched to Liverpool at the end of the season. More

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      Ex-Chelsea target Arsen Zakharyan takes brutal swipe at Blues and reveals why he rejected them as fans call it ‘painful’

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      FORMER Chelsea target Arsen Zakharyan has taken a brutal swipe at the Blues, leaving fans stunned.The West London club had been long linked with a move for Zakharyan, but missed out on the chance to sign him this summer.
      Arsen Zakharyan has taken a swipe at ChelseaCredit: Getty
      The Russian international joined Real Sociedad during the summer window from Dynamo Moscow in a deal worth more than £11million.
      He had been close to signing for Chelsea before he agreed his deal with Sociedad, but the move collapsed due to a number of complications.
      But it seems as if Zakharyan has no regrets in choosing LaLiga over the Premier League as he took a swipe at Chelsea in a recent interview.
      He said: “For me, it was more interesting to come to Real Sociedad than to Chelsea.
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      “It was also a more realistic option. I realised that I was already a Real player when I signed, I was worried about some issues during the negotiation but now… here I am.”
      Rival fans were quick to jump on to social media to tease Chelsea for Zakharyan’s comments.
      One said: “No one wants to go to Chelsea. They’re going down fast.”
      Whilst another added: “Chelsea rejected…Painful!”
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      A third commented: “He doesn’t want to be 12th in the Premier League.”
      Other fans were impressed by the hunger shown by Zakharyan to choose a different path.
      One said: “I admire Arsen’s courage in choosing Real Sociedad over Chelsea. It’s refreshing to see players prioritise their own interests and find a more realistic option that suits them.”
      And another said: “This was probably a better move for his career.”
      The 20-year-old has made two appearances for Real Sociedad since joining with both coming from the bench. More

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      £97m Chelsea flop Mykhailo Mudryk benched by Ukraine for huge Euro 2024 qualifying clash

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      UKRAINE benched Chelsea flop Mykhailo Mudryk for Tuesday’s vital Euro 2024 qualifier away to Italy.The £97million winger was taken off in Saturday’s 1-1 draw with England.
      Mykhailo Mudryk was reduced to a sub role for Tuesday’s vital qualifierCredit: Rex
      Mudryk has failed to impress Mauricio Pochettino since the ex-Spurs chief took over as Stamford Bridge manager in the summer.
      Now the ex-Shakhtar Donetsk star has been axed by his national team.
      Ukraine went into the clash at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza three points ahead of Italy, who have a game in hand.
      England top Group C on 13 points from five matches, with the Ukrainians second on seven from four games.
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      Not surprisingly, huge national hero Oleksandr Zinchenko stays in at left-back after shocking England by firing the opener at the weekend.
      The Arsenal ace, 26, was given a massive reception when he was replaced after 76 minutes, with Mudryk following him off just before stoppage time.
      The 22-year-old cost Chelsea an initial £62m back in January.
      And the cruel joke around the club is that all the add-ons in the transfer fee will take ages to be paid.
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      After spluttering last term, Mudryk has again been a bit-part player this season, now under Pochettino.
      Ukraine legend and ex-Chelsea attacker Andriy Shevchenko has tried to help Mudryk during the 46-year-old’s regular visits to London. More

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      Chelsea failed in last-gasp transfer bid for Marco Verratti with PSG midfielder set to join new club in coming days

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      CHELSEA failed with a late attempt to sign Marco Verratti and the PSG star is now set to join a new club, according to reports.The midfielder has spent 11 years in the French capital but PSG are ready to cash in.
      Marco Verratti is set to join Al-ArabiCredit: Getty
      Verratti, 30, was chased by multiple high profile European clubs this summer but is now closing in on a move to Qatar.
      The Italian has agreed personal terms with Al-Arabi ahead of a £38million switch, per Fabrizio Romano.
      He has travelled to the Middle East to finalise the transfer, which will include passing a medical.
      It is a blow for Chelsea who had tried to sign Verratti on loan, according to L’Equipe.
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      Their offer was rejected by PSG who only wanted a permanent transfer.
      Bayern Munich’s efforts to sign Verratti on loan were thwarted for the same reason.
      While Barcelona were also keen to add the Euro 2020 winner to their ranks but could not afford to stump up a substantial transfer fee.
      Manchester United were also linked with a surprise move late in the transfer window.
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      But Verratti was always expected to move to the Middle East, with Saudi Arabian giants Al-Ahli favourites for his signature.
      Verratti made 416 appearances for PSG and won Ligue Un nine times, and finished as a runner-up in the Champions League in 2020. More

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      Chelsea legend makes joke at struggling club as he says ‘they need to bring us back’ following legends’ match

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      JOHN OBI MIKEL has joked that Chelsea need to “bring back” some of the club’s retired stars.The Blues have been struggling in the Premier League over the last year while also going through three managers.
      John Obi Mikel has joked that Chelsea needs to bring back the club’s legends to playCredit: YouTube/HaytersTV
      But he did insist that Chelsea will be fineCredit: YouTube/HaytersTV
      Club co-owner Todd Boehly sacked Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter before handing the job to Frank Lampard on an interim basis for the run-in of last season.
      In the summer, Mauricio Pochettino was appointed manager and while there have been signs of improvement, the team has still struggled to perform.
      This is despite an enormous amount of investment into the playing staff at the club, with Chelsea forking out almost £1billion on new players.
      The club’s poor form has now seen Mikel, 36, have a joke at his former employer’s expense.
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      The retired midfielder was asked about the club’s situation following a Chelsea legends match against Bayern Munich.
      As per Hayters TV, he joked: “They need to bring us back, I’m joking.
      However, the former Chelsea star did then insist that the club would be fine as long as the players “gel together”.
      The Nigerian added: “They are fine, they will be fine. I think the club is obviously going through a massive transition.
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      “So we need to give them time. There are a lot of good, fantastic young players.
      “We need to give them time, we need to make sure they get time to work on the training ground and start to gel together as a team.
      “Once we could be able to that, I think we will be back competing again, but it is going to take us a bit of time.”
      During the Legends match there was a shock inclusion for Sam Hutchinson despite him only making five appearances for Chelsea.
      John Terry also made an emotional tribute to Gianluca Vialli after he scored.
      Mikel joined Chelsea from Norwegian side Lyn in 2006 – going on to win two Premier League titles, three FA Cups, a League Cup, Champions League and Europa League with the Blues. More

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      I played in the Premier League and won a European trophy but now I’m a PE teacher at a £5,000-a-term school

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      A FORMER Chelsea defender is now teaching PE at a £5,000-a-term primary school after helping the Blues win the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1998.Danny Granville, 48, was appearing in Blue for the first time since that famous night in Stockholm when Gianfranco Zola scored the only goal of the game against Stuttgart.
      Former Chelsea defender Danny Granville (right) is now a PE teacher at a private school in HertfordshireCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Danny Granville (third from right) was appearing at the Chelsea Legends game for Gianluca Vialli
      That win saw Chelsea lift European silverware for the time since 1971, with Granville playing the full 90 minutes at left-back.
      A £300,000 signing from Cambridge United in 1997, the Euro winner played just one season at Stamford Bridge before being sold to bitter rivals Leeds United.
      But Chelsea made a £1.5 million profit on the Londoner – selling him for £1.8m – not a bad bit of business for a player whose last game was in Stockholm and who only played 20 matches for the club.
      After a season at Elland Road, he went on to play for Man City for two years – helping the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2001 – and for Crystal Palace, where he had his best spell.
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      The star also helped the Eagles to promotion in 2003-04, playing almost 200 games in south London. He finished his career with brief spells at Colchester United and Leyton Orient before dropping down to non-League with Hemel Hempstead.
      Since retiring, Granville became a primary school teacher and is currently the Games Teacher at Duncombe School in Hertfordshire – a primary school where fees range from £4,500-a-term for reception to £6,000-a-term in Year 6.
      He has also coached with the Arsenal academy.
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      Granville was back at Stamford Bridge to play in the Chelsea Legends game against Bayern Munich, with money being raised in honour of Gianluca Vialli.
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      The Italian, who sadly died in January this year, was Granville’s player-manager on that famous night 25 years ago. More

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      John Terry makes emotional tribute to Gianluca Vialli as Chelsea legends remember Blues icon in Bayern charity match

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      CHELSEA fans unfurled a giant tifo in honour of Gianluca Vialli at a Legends match against Bayern Munich on Saturday night – while John Terry dedicated a surprise goal to the much-loved Italian great.The game was being played in tribute of the former player-manager, who sadly died at the start of the year, and to raise funds for the Chelsea Foundation and the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

      Chelsea fans unveiled a giant banner in honour of Gianluca Vialli at a Legends match in his honourCredit: Reuters
      John Terry paid tribute to his former manager, pointing to the sky after he scoredCredit: AFP
      Vialli’s daughters, Olivia and Sofia, and wife Cathryn (right) were also at the gameCredit: AFP
      The likes of John Terry, Gianfranco Zola, Michael Essien and Claude Makelele were playing for Chelsea, with Vialli’s former team-mate – and Champions League winning manager – Roberto Di Matteo in the dugout.
      A packed Stamford Bridge made their affection towards the Italian known before kick-off, as they unveiled a giant banner in his honour.
      With the Italian flag in the background and a huge image of the striker, it read: “When his goals light the sky, there’s a tear in my eye.”
      Chants of “Vialli, Vialli” also rang around the ground throughout the match, while it appeared Zola and Di Matteo were struggling to hold back tears as a tribute video played on the big screens.
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      John Terry and other legends held a minute’s applause for VialliCredit: Reuters
      Terry (centre) was congratulated by team-mates including Gary Cahill, Michael Essien and RamiresCredit: Reuters

      Vialli’s family – wife Cathryn and daughters Olivia and Sofia – were at the ground, with the Stamford Bridge crowd breaking out into a minute’s applause after Nessun Dorma blared around the ground.
      Comedian Omid Djalili, a huge Chelsea fan, captured the applause at Stamford Bridge and posted it to social media.
      With the ceremonies over, John Terry made an emotional gesture for the manager that handed him his Chelsea debut, after scoring a surprise goal.
      Captain for the night, Terry burst forward played the ball into fellow Champions League winner Florent Malouda and slid to poke home – with the goal aptly coming in the 26th minute, Terry’s shirt number.
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      Terry pointed two fingers to the sky in honour of Chelsea legend Vialli, who won three trophies in west London – the 1997 FA Cup as a player and the 1998 League Cup and European Cup Winners’ Cup as a player-manager.
      Earlier this year, in another tribute to the Italian – Terry revealed he used to run a bath and fetch coffee for Vialli when they played together. More

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      Inside Eddie Nketiah’s incredible rise from Chelsea heartache to Arsenal and England star via brutal cage football

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      EDDIE NKETIAH has gone through a lot to make sure he succeeded in having a career at the top of football.The striker has become a regular for Arsenal despite enduring some tricky periods earlier in his career.
      Eddie Nketiah has become a star at ArsenalCredit: Getty
      He has managed to make it to the England senior teamCredit: Getty
      Nketiah was one of many young stars in the Chelsea academy
      Nketiah, 24, started his career at Chelsea but was rejected by the club when he was 14.
      A decade later, he had become a regular member of the Arsenal first team under manager Mikel Arteta.
      The forward’s form and impressive start to the 2022/23 Premier League season saw him earn his first call-up to the senior England team by boss Gareth Southgate.
      Nketiah had featured regularly for the Three Lions youth sides and even managed to net 16 goals in 17 appearances for the U21s.
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      Chelsea heartache
      Nketiah was one of a number of promising players in the club’s academy in 1999.
      The striker joined the likes of Mason Mount, Declan Rice, Conor Gallagher and Reece James.
      He joined the club when he was nine and was prolific in the youth sides.
      During this time when he would play away from club training, Nketiah would play football in a small caged pitch near his family home in South East London.
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      He told Gaffer Magazine: “It was really hard playing in the cage.
      “There’s a lot of pride there and everyone wants to show how good they are and what they can do.
      “There’s a lot of trash talk going on in the cage and you’ve just got to have thick skin to get through it and show how good you are.”
      However, despite being a prolific goalscorer, Nketiah was released when he was 14 due to concerns over his height as the club preferred team-mate Tammy Abraham.
      Arsenal beginnings
      Nketiah scored his first goal for Arsenal against Norwich in 2017Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Nketiah was given a lifeline as he was picked up by Arsenal after being spotted by youth scout Ian Gilmour.
      Gilmour had spotted the striker while scouting watching his son Charlie play against him for the Gunners’ academy.
      Nketiah was approached by Arsenal just two days after his release from Chelsea and quickly got the move sorted out.
      Gilmour was not concerned over Nketiah’s height however as he told The Athletic: “He had the power, he had the pace.
      “Size doesn’t matter if you’ve got the power and the pace. And technically, he was so good.”
      After rising through the ranks in Arsenal’s academy he eventually became a squad player in the first team in 2017 under legendary manager Arsen Wenger.
      He made his debut for the club that year at just 18 in the Europa League win over BATE Borisov and he followed that with his second appearance coming against Norwich in the League Cup the following month.
      Nketiah netted an equaliser within 15 seconds of coming on, endearing him to the Arsenal faithful.
      He continued to make the occasional appearance and was eventually loaned to Leeds in 2019.
      However, his loan was cut short in January 2020 due to a lack of game time and then saw a swap to Benudesliga outfit Augsburg canceled due to an injury to Danny Welbeck.
      Arsenal struggles
      Nketiah struggled to hold down a starting spot at ArsenalCredit: AFP or licensors
      Nketiah continued his career at the Gunners with managers Unai Emery and Mikel Arteta opting to keep hold of him after he impressed in training.
      However, Nketiah was never given the starting role as he would continue to star in the cup competitions but fail to be prolific in the Premier League.
      Nketiah had continually found himself behind more established strikers such as Olivier Giroud, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette.
      In January 2022, Crystal Palace were very keen on signing Nketiah as his contract only had six months left to run at Arsenal.
      Nketiah had hardly played that season and it seemed that his time at the Emirates was coming to an end.
      However, a move never materialised and he stayed at the club he was expected to leave the club in the summer window on a free transfer.
      That was until he agreed on a new five-year contract to stay at the club till at least 2027.
      But it seemed that his problems would persist as Arteta signed Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus that summer and made him the first-choice striker for the 2022/23 season.
      Arsenal breakthrough
      He made a breakthrough during the 2022/23 seasonCredit: EPA
      Despite the arrival of the Brazilian international, Nketiah stayed put and fought for his spot.
      The Englishman managed to get his chance in the Europa League as he started all six group games, scoring twice.
      During this run, he made his 100th appearance for the club and was then buoyed as Jesus picked up a lengthy knee injury.
      Nketiah made sure not to let the chance slip through his fingers as he would lead the attack for an extended period.
      He would finish the season with nine goals and three assists in 39 appearances in all competitions.
      While not the most impressive of numbers his attitude and contribution was enough to maintain Arsenal’s title challenge against Manchester City.
      Nketiah then started the 2023/24 season in an improved manner as he netted twice in the club’s first four games.
      The striker was in turn described as a “role model” by Arteta as he cemented his spot as an Arsenal player.
      England call-up
      Nektiah’s good form earned him a call-up to the England teamCredit: Getty
      Nketiah had opted to represent England despite being born to Ghanaian parents.
      His improvement for Arsenal saw him earn national recognition in August 2023 as he was called up to the senior England team for the first time in his career.
      Southgate hailed Nketiah’s pedigree after giving him the call for the fixtures against Ukraine in the Euro qualifier and Scotland in a friendly.
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      He said: “With Eddie coming in, it is an area where we want to have a look at him.
      “Young player with a lot of pedigree, really good finisher, and the record goalscorer in the Under-21s.” More