Chelsea-owned African defender reveals how close he came to joining Arsenal

Chelsea loanee Baba Rahman has disclosed that he had the opportunity to get signed by fellow Premier League side Arsenal before joining the Blues. 

 
In a chat with Nizaar Kinsella on YouTube, Rahman said that while he was a teenager he was scheduled to undergo a trial at the Gunners but ended up missing it.

"I missed out on the trial because I didn't have a visa to the UK," explained the full-back about nearly heading to the Emirates.  

"That's when I was much younger, maybe 16. I got denied a visa, but one way or another I found myself in London."

As fate would have it, Rahman got himself a move to England in 2015 after emerging as one of the most promising young players in the German Bundesliga. 

He was signed as a 21-year-old by Chelsea for an undisclosed fee from German club FC Augsburg.

He spent the 2015-16 season at Chelsea, making 15 Premier League appearances.

Rahman, who's 28 years old, has found it hard to stake a claim in Chelsea's first team over the years due to one injury or the other.

The Ghana born defender has embarked on loan to five different clubs in the last six years, representing Schalke 04, Stade de Reims, Mallorca, PAOK and Reading.

His current deal with the Blues is expected to end in the summer of 2024, having signed a contract extension in 2021.

Toyosi Afolayan 

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