QPR ace Luke Freeman says leaving Arsenal was the best decision he has made in his career

QPR ace Luke Freeman says leaving Arsenal was the best decision he has made in his career
QPR ace Luke Freeman believes he saved his career from petering out by walking away from Arsenal six years ago.Freeman, who is now enjoying life in the Championship with QPR, rose to prominence while on Gillingham’s books as a youngster.Aged 15 and 233 days, Freeman became the youngest-ever player to feature in the FA Cup in November 2007.He subsequently caught the attention of then Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and just two months later joined the Premier League giants for a reported fee of 200,000.Luke Freeman was unable to make the grade at Arsenal as a youngster4
Luke Freeman was unable to make the grade at Arsenal as a youngster
Freeman has been a revelation at QPR since his move from Bristol City in January 20174
Freeman has been a revelation at QPR since his move from Bristol City in January 2017
However, despite enjoying FA Youth Cup success in his spell at the club – featuring alongside the likes of Wojciech Szczesny and Jack Wilshere – he failed to make a first-team appearance in the four years he was there.He dropped down two divisions by penning a deal with Stevenage in 2011, initially on loan, in a bid to rebuild his career – and he hasn’t looked back since.A successful three-year spell at the Boro’ followed before another encouraging period at Bristol City after – where he took League One by storm.However, Freeman is arguably now in the form of his life at Loftus Road, where he has been since January 2017, and has no regrets looking back on the decision he made.Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT,the midfielder said:Ive been very fortunate.“At a young age I took a huge gamble in leaving Arsenal and deciding to carve out my own pathway.The attacking midfielder in action for former side Stevenage in January 20124
The attacking midfielder in action for former side Stevenage in January 2012
Freeman, now 26, also had a good spell with Bristol City4
Freeman, now 26, also had a good spell with Bristol City
I dont think Id be where I am now if it wasnt for me making that decision.“I could have easily sat at Arsenal and played in the reserves for another year or two and got on for 10 minutes in a cup game, but what would have been the point in doing that?No disrespect, but some of the other players who did that arent even playing football anymore.”He continued: The best thing I did was make my own path in the game.“I had a taste for it from an early age (at 15) playing first-team football with Gillingham.Ive always wanted to play in front of the fans and stadiums, so it was quite hard going from that to a youth-team/reserve set-up at Arsenal. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed that and it probably made me the player I am today, but that wasnt for me. There are no regrets from me whatsoever.Ive played over 300 first-team games and Im still only 26 Im really proud of that.”Freeman believes that young players who were in a position like himself should perhaps jump out of their comfort zone – or risk becoming forgotten men.He explained: Ive been a realist and accepted what wasnt meant for me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, but Ive taken that risk and its paid off for me.Ive worked my absolute socks off and got my just rewards.Its something these youngsters now need to look at and think am I going to play in the first-team here week in week out?If not, is it not surely better to get a good loan move and kick start your career?”Freeman has done exactly that.



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Manchester United are reportedly willing to pay up to 40million to make Mauricio Pochettino the next Old Trafford boss.The Red Devils’ top brass are said to agree the Tottenham manager is the only contender to replace the out-of-favour Jose Mourinhoat Old Trafford next summer.United are eighth in the Premier League table – 18 points off leaders Manchester City.United are eighth in the Premier League table – 18 points off leaders Manchester City3
United are eighth in the Premier League table – 18 points off leaders Manchester City
Mourinho has been under all kinds of pressure this season for United’s inconsistent performances as well as for off-field issues, including his training ground spat with Paul Pogba.However, his saving grace has been that it would be too expensive to sack him.But according to The Sun, there is a clause in the Portuguese’s contract that means it will cost United less to sack him if they are not in the Champions League.They are ready to do battle with Real Madrid for Pochettino, 46, and despite the current turmoil, United believe they can sell the Argentine a more attractive proposition.Pochettino reportedly turned down the United job before Mourinho was hired in 2016.Pochettino reportedly turned down the United job before Mourinho was hired in 20163
Pochettino reportedly turned down the United job before Mourinho was hired in 2016
United have done business with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy in the past when they bought Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov in 2006 and 2008 respectively.Pochettino is determined to lead the north London club into their new stadium in the New Year and signed a five-year, 8m-a-season deal just last summer.It is understood he turned down the United job in 2016 when they relieved Louis van Gaal of his duties but that has not put off executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.The 20-time league championsare already 18 points behind leaders Manchester City in the table. Meanwhile, Spurs have finished in the top four in three successive seasons under Pochettino, who joined them from Southampton in 2014.However, Pochettino has spoken publicly about Spurs’ need to invest in fresh blood which was not given to him last summer after Spurs failed to recruit a single player in the transfer window.Pochettino could well have a choice of United or Real Madrid next summer.Pochettino could well have a choice of United or Real Madrid next summer3
Pochettino could well have a choice of United or Real Madrid next summer
Mourinho’s agent, Jorge Mendes, has come out fighting and defended his client in response to suggestions he could lose his job.In a rare statement, Mendes said:There have been more rumours of Jose Mourinho leavingManchester United.Its totally untrue.Jose is very happy at the club and the club is very happy with him.He has a long-term contract with Manchester United and is fully committed to the club in building a solid winning project.

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Pep Guardiola told Ben Chilwell he’s a ‘really talented player’ after Manchester City’s dramatic win over Leicester, Foxes full-back reveals

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Leicester’s Ben Chilwell has revealed Pep Guardiola personally told the full-back he thought he was a ‘really talented player’, following the Foxes clash with Manchester City last month.Amidst the celebrations following Vincent Kompany’s superb strike to give Manchester City the crucial win in their bid to win the Premier League for a second season running, Guardiola took the time out to praise Chilwell at the end of the game.Chilwell gave a good account of himself as Leicester ran City close at the EtihadGetty3
Chilwell gave a good account of himself as Leicester ran City close at the Etihad
Chilwell, 22, is in real contention to start in England’s Nations League semi-final against the Netherlands on Thursday night – a match you can listen to LIVE on talkSPORT.The defender has been linked with a move to Manchester City in the past as the likes of Benjamin Mendy and Oleksandr Zinchenko have been unable to fully establish themselves as the first choice on the left side of the high-standard Citizens defence.Guardiola has previous when it comes to approaching opposition players on the pitch.One incident saw an animated Guardiola remonstrate with Southampton forward Nathan Redmond during a Premier League encounter at the Etihad Stadium in November 2017, although Redmond said the Spaniard was actually quite complimentary about his abilities.Guardiola appeared to get confrontational with Redmond but the Saints man was relaxed about the incidentGetty3
Guardiola appeared to get confrontational with Redmond but the Saints man was relaxed about the incident
On his encounter with Guardiola, Chilwell said: “He just said he thought I was a really talented player and he wanted me to keep playing well, getting up and down the pitch and never going away from it.That was it and then he walks off to the next person he wants to speak to.It was nice for such a successful manager to say Im a good player.”However, Chilwell stressed the immediate aim is to work under Brendan Rodgers, who has made a difference to his game within three months of arriving.“Im at Leicester and with Brendan coming in were all loving him being there and thats obviously where my heads at.Could Chilwell be heading to Manchester City this summer?Getty3
Could Chilwell be heading to Manchester City this summer?
“The gaffer at Leicester has come in and there are certain things in my game he wanted to change. In training I can get a bit angry and might take it out on people.“He said that is not going to help you, its just going to make you lose focus. Little things like that Ive not heard before.Chilwell’s England breakthrough came in October when he produced a man-of-the-match performance on his first senior Three Lions start – a goalless draw at Croatia.He also started the game where the Nations League campaign really caught fire for Gareth Southgate’s men – a brilliant 3-2 win over Spain.

LIVE ON talkSPORT

talkSPORT is your home of live football! Here's what's coming up on talkSPORT and talkSPORT 2...
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A win over Croatia the following month at Wembley put England through to the last four of the competition in Portugal and now Chilwell and his team-mates are targeting Nations League glory.He said: “In the Spain game I found the people I was playing against were finding positions on the pitch which I’ve not really faced before.Thiago Alcantara especially, he was finding little pockets, it was difficult to know whether to go and press him or not. It’s a learning curve but I was playing with players around me who were helping me through it. Were all looking forward to the summer and winning something, winning a major trophy which a senior team has not done since 1966.Were just excited for that. This is a young squad and we want to win stuff now. We dont want to learn over the next few years and start winning in a few years.“We want to win this summer and then continue to win for the rest of our careers.

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