Photo: 20-year-old Arsenal gem spotted in Colney gym, was once compared to George Best

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Arsenal academy ace Jordan McEneff has had a tough time with injuries over the past year.

The 20-year-old midfielder has been at Hale End since 2016, when he joined the Gunners from Derry City.

McEneff has progressed through the Arsenal ranks to the Under-23s, where he was a regular prior to his injury.

However, he was forced off just five minutes into a Premier League 2 clash with Liverpool back in October 2020.

That was the last time McEneff featured in a game for Arsenal’s Under-23s, having been sidelined since.

In March this year, he revealed on Twitter that he’d extended his contract with the Gunners and was working hard to return to fitness.

Arsenal academy expert Jeorge Bird has shared a picture of Granit Xhaka in the London Colney gym, with McEneff in the background.

Full credit to Arsenal for extending McEneff’s contract so he could continue his rehabilitation without having to worry about his future.

Three years ago, McEneff said Kwame Ampadu, then coach of the Arsenal Under-18s, compared him to George Best.

“Kwame started calling me “Besty” after a game against Nuremberg,” he told the Gunners media team.

“I picked up the ball close to the halfway line and dribbled past five or six opposition players.

“I take that as a massive compliment from him even though I know that it was a bit of a joke.”

It’s a shame he’s been out injured for so long but hopefully we’ll see him dazzle on the wing for the Under-23s sooner rather than later – and maybe even in the first team.