Arsenal youth Karl Hein admits to having received offers from the Gunners and Manchester United, but has turned down the Red Devils to move north to London.
The goalkeeper’s prospect headed to the Emirates in the summer of 2018 from the Estonian club Nomme United.
He was the first post-Arsene Wenger autograph and is highly convinced that he has established himself as the number 1 for Arsenal’s U23.
And Hein cited Arsenal’s atmosphere as an important point of difference between the two giants of the Premier League.
“In fact, I also received an offer from Manchester United during the same period,” he told Arsenal’s day program.
“When I first received offers from them and from Arsenal, I was honored because they are both such big clubs with an impressive history, so it was a difficult decision to make, but from the beginning I loved Arsenal. Everything seemed so right.
“When I was on trial, the impression they gave me was so impressive because I loved the atmosphere of the training ground and the way all the people spoke to me and welcomed me. After that I had the feeling that Arsenal was the right place for me and my development “.
Hein’s efforts take him to Mikel Arteta’s radar and Estonia is put to the test just like the stars of the first team Bernd Leno and Emiliano Martinez.
And the teenager feels he has benefited from simply being in the same company as the minions.
He added, “That feeling of leaving Colney and training alongside a caretaker like Bernd at that age was something I will never forget. The level of that training session was just plain crazy for me.
“The only thing I noticed is that it’s not just the attackers who make incredible goals … literally every player on the team is of such high quality that he can react in a split second, hit the ball cleanly and find the corners.
“It’s so hard to save them, but when you do, it’s a good feeling. Nothing beats that buzz you get.
“Now I have trained with Emi and Bernd and I have learned a lot from them in every session. They are so important for Arsenal and they do everything according to the highest standards. Their reactions, athleticism, professionalism and mentality are perfect and it is really a joy to watch. “
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