Josh Nichols: Arsenal Rising Star Makes Nigerian Mum Proud After Senior Debut
- Josh Nichols made his Nigerian mother proud after making his senior debut for Arsenal in a preseason game
- Nichols replaced Ben White in their friendly game against Bournemouth, which they won in penalty shootouts
- The promising fullback was recently handed his first senior professional contract by the North London club
A heartwarming moment occurred at the end of Arsenal's friendly game aginst Bournemouth on July 25.
The Gunners played their first game at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson against familiar English opposition.
Source: Getty Images
Head coach Mikel Arteta used the opportunity to put his senior side through their paces. Thomas Partey, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard were among the main team players who got minutes.
Who is Josh Nichols?
The game also featured a couple of fringe players and academy prospects. One such player was Josh Nichols, who was handed his senior debut in the 78th minute. The fast-rising fullback replaced Ben White.
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Nichols' mother was among the fans in Carson. After the game, her son made his way to her in what makes for a beautiful viewing. The mother said, 'That's my son,' clearly overwhelmed with emotion in the video shared by Arsenal Academy.
The 17-year-old only recently signed his first senior professional contract with the club. He made 31 appearances for the Gunners' academy last season.
Can Josh Nichols play for Nigeria?
In an earlier interview with the club's website, the fullback disclosed his Nigerian heritage, which makes him eligible to play for the Super Eagles if he wishes.
"My family background is that my mum is Nigerian, and my dad is Jamaican and Guyanese. In school, I did a lot of athletics and sprinting, but I was good at the long jump; that was one of my specialities," he said.
Nichols played for several clubs, including Chelsea and Tottenham, before joining Arsenal. It would be interesting to see if Arteta integrates him into his main squad for the upcoming season.
Nigeria players included in Chelsea's squad
Legit.ng had earlier reported that five Nigerian-affiliated players had been selected for Chelsea's preseason tour of the United States.
The Blues headed stateside for their first preseason under new head coach Enzo Maresca.
New signing Tosin Adarabioyo headlines the list of players who can play for Nigeria in the list.
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