Hamburg-owned winger Amaechi opens up on why he left Arsenal

Published: December 01, 2021

England youth international of Nigerian descent Xavier Amaechi has revealed that he has no regrets about leaving Premier League side Arsenal for Hamburg in July 2019.

Capable of playing on either wing, Amaechi was once rated in the same bracket as Bukayo Saka during their time at the Gunners' Hale End Academy but he took a gamble moving to Hamburg in search of regular first-team football at one of the traditional clubs in Europe.

Unfortunately, the winger's switch to Hamburg has not worked out as planned with only five competitive appearances for the club and spent the second half of last season on loan at Karlsruher SC.

The 20-year-old still has a good reputation in England and is currently on loan at third-tier club Bolton Wanderers, for whom he has made six appearances due to a metatarsal fracture keeping him on the sidelines from July to October.

"I could have stayed in the bubble but I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. I learned a new language, so I can speak a bit of German now, and it is all good for life," Amaechi told Manchester Evening News.

"It isn’t about going somewhere that you’ll grow up. It is about going somewhere you can play.

"My sole purpose going to Hamburg was to play football because at Arsenal I didn’t feel like it was the right place for me to break in and get those minutes."

Xavier Amaechi joined Arsenal from Fulham Academy in August 2013.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel

Photo Credit : arsenal.com

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