Former Chelsea centre-back Kenneth Omeruo has shed light on the unforgiving nature of European youth academies, using the early experience of Eberechi Eze as an example.

Speaking about the structured and highly competitive system in Europe, Omeruo noted that clubs routinely evaluate young players from the earliest age groups and do not hesitate to release those who fail to progress.

In August 2025, Eze returned for a second spell at Arsenal, having previously spent five years at the club before being released as a schoolboy in 2011.

Following his departure from the Gunners, the 2017 Super Eagles invitee, now cap-tied to his country of birth England, continued his development with the academy sides of Fulham, Reading and Queens Park Rangers. 

It was at QPR that he rose to prominence, earning a move to Premier League side Crystal Palace and establishing himself as one of English football's most exciting attacking talents.

Omeruo highlighted that the Anglo-Nigerian attacking midfielder was released by the Gunners at the age of 13 because he did not meet the required benchmark at the time.

"In Europe, every club have the U10s and U11s, and they graduate," Omeruo said on Arise News. 

"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 (Eze) 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."

Omeruo insisted that Eze’s setback was less about a lack of talent and more about the depth of competition within elite academies.

"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."

Eze was the star of the show as Arsenal thrashed north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with the Hale End product scoring the first hat-trick of his professional career.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit: arsenal.com