New Arsenal defender Jonathan Dinzeyi has revealed that the presence of Steve Bould and a commitment to handing young players first-team opportunities were both key factors behind his decision to sign a contract at the Emirates.
Centre-back Dinzeyi was officially confirmed as an Arsenal player on Monday, signing professional terms following his release by north London rivals Tottenham last month.
The 20-year-old will initially link-up with the Gunners' Under-23s team as he hopes to benefit from the experience of head coach Bould, who previously spent 11 years as a player at Arsenal before also serving as Arsene Wenger's assistant manager between 2012-19.
“Knowing that Steve Bould is the head coach was a big factor for me,” Dinzeyi told Arsenal's official website.
“He’s a legend at the club and he’s played in my position, so I’m really hoping I can learn from him to develop my game."
Dinzeyi never made a senior appearance for Tottenham, with a 2018 friendly against Spanish side Girona his only taste of first-team football to date.
However, the former England Under-18 international clearly sees a pathway through to the senior set-up at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta.
“Seeing the likes of [Reiss] Nelson, [Bukayo] Saka, [Eddie] Nketiah and [Joe] Willock getting chances was a big thing for me too," he added.
"That was another reason why I wanted to come here because I believe if you train hard then you’ll play well and the manager will give you the opportunity for you to show what you’re about.
"I’m really glad I’ve been given this opportunity."
