Kenneth Omeruo

Kenneth Omeruo Explains Why Arsenal Released Eberechi Eze in 2011.

Super Eagles defender Kenneth Omeruo has revealed that Crystal Palace and England star Eberechi Eze was released by Arsenal at age 13 simply because, at that specific moment, other players in the academy were judged to be ahead of him in development.

Eze joined Arsenal at eight and spent five years in the Hale End system during the Arsène Wenger era, but in 2011 he was one of several youngsters told he would not progress to the next age group.

Eberechi Eze

Speaking to ARISE News after his impressive performance against Tottenham, Omeruo explained how ruthless youth screening works in top European academies:

“In Europe, every club has the U10s and U11s, and they graduate. Every year there’s screening; if you don’t get to the next level, they take you out.

For example, you know the story of Ebere now playing for Arsenal. When he was in Arsenal, he couldn’t make it to the next level.

It doesn’t mean that he wasn’t good enough or he would not get to that level, which he did at some point.

There are other players who were better than him then, so if you can’t get to the next level, you can go to another academy.”

After leaving Arsenal, Eze rebuilt his career through spells at Millwall, Reading, Wycombe Wanderers, and QPR before exploding onto the Premier League scene with Crystal Palace in 2020. Now 27, he has 12 England caps and is widely regarded as one of the most technically gifted attacking midfielders in the league.

Omeruo’s comments highlight how even the biggest clubs can miss out on future stars during early development phases when decisions are often based on physical maturity and immediate performance rather than long-term potential.