Brentford midfielder Josh Dasilva comments on 2018 exit from Arsenal

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Brentford midfielder Josh Dasilva has lifted the lid on his departure from Arsenal in 2018, in an interview with the Independent.

The 21-year-old knows the move was for the best as it allowed him to get regular football but he has shared how emotional it was to leave the club where he came through the ranks.

He said: “I’d been there (Arsenal) my whole life. When I told my mum I wasn’t going back, she was in tears, praying for me. My parents thought I was destined to be an Arsenal player. It was very emotional. I wanted to play for Arsenal for the rest of my life, but I had to do what was best for my career.

“That was always the objective: to play for Arsenal. I still feel privileged to say I have. My family were sitting up in a box in tears because that was the dream. The shirt is still framed up my mum’s. I didn’t support Arsenal as a kid but now I want them to win every single game because they did so much for me, I owe them a lot.”

TBR’s View – Perhaps Dasilva would have got more opportunities under current regime

Dasilva left Arsenal following Arsene Wenger’s last season at the club. As the clearout from his regime got underway under Unai Emery and has continued under Mikel Arteta, perhaps Dasilva would have got the chances he craved.

That’s not to say it was a mistake to leave – regular men’s football brings a young player’s game along in a way that nothing else can.

But Dasilva references in the interview being close with the likes of Eddie Nketiah, who has been kept around the first team squad by Arteta having been given his first team chance under Emery.

There has been an emphasis in youth to get Arsenal motoring again, with the likes of Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Joe Willock breaking through and perhaps Dasilva could have got his wish of a breakthrough at Arsenal if he had stuck around.