QPR ace Luke Freeman says leaving Arsenal was the best decision he has made in his career

QPR ace Luke Freeman says leaving Arsenal was the best decision he has made in his career
QPR ace Luke Freeman believes he saved his career from petering out by walking away from Arsenal six years ago.Freeman, who is now enjoying life in the Championship with QPR, rose to prominence while on Gillingham’s books as a youngster.Aged 15 and 233 days, Freeman became the youngest-ever player to feature in the FA Cup in November 2007.He subsequently caught the attention of then Gunners boss Arsene Wenger and just two months later joined the Premier League giants for a reported fee of 200,000.4

Luke Freeman was unable to make the grade at Arsenal as a youngster

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Freeman has been a revelation at QPR since his move from Bristol City in January 2017

However, despite enjoying FA Youth Cup success in his spell at the club – featuring alongside the likes of Wojciech Szczesny and Jack Wilshere – he failed to make a first-team appearance in the four years he was there.He dropped down two divisions by penning a deal with Stevenage in 2011, initially on loan, in a bid to rebuild his career – and he hasn’t looked back since.A successful three-year spell at the Boro’ followed before another encouraging period at Bristol City after – where he took League One by storm.However, Freeman is arguably now in the form of his life at Loftus Road, where he has been since January 2017, and has no regrets looking back on the decision he made.Speaking exclusively to talkSPORT,the midfielder said:Ive been very fortunate.“At a young age I took a huge gamble in leaving Arsenal and deciding to carve out my own pathway.4

The attacking midfielder in action for former side Stevenage in January 2012

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Freeman, now 26, also had a good spell with Bristol City

I dont think Id be where I am now if it wasnt for me making that decision.“I could have easily sat at Arsenal and played in the reserves for another year or two and got on for 10 minutes in a cup game, but what would have been the point in doing that?No disrespect, but some of the other players who did that arent even playing football anymore.”He continued: The best thing I did was make my own path in the game.“I had a taste for it from an early age (at 15) playing first-team football with Gillingham.Ive always wanted to play in front of the fans and stadiums, so it was quite hard going from that to a youth-team/reserve set-up at Arsenal. Yes, I thoroughly enjoyed that and it probably made me the player I am today, but that wasnt for me. There are no regrets from me whatsoever.Ive played over 300 first-team games and Im still only 26 Im really proud of that.”Freeman believes that young players who were in a position like himself should perhaps jump out of their comfort zone – or risk becoming forgotten men.He explained: Ive been a realist and accepted what wasnt meant for me. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesnt, but Ive taken that risk and its paid off for me.Ive worked my absolute socks off and got my just rewards.Its something these youngsters now need to look at and think am I going to play in the first-team here week in week out?If not, is it not surely better to get a good loan move and kick start your career?”Freeman has done exactly that.

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