Live broadcast on 10/0 Lyon right-back Niles spoke about his old club Arsenal in an interview with the BBC.
奈爾斯曾是阿森納隊史第二年輕的歐冠出場球員，從小就支持槍手的他6歲開始就為這傢俱樂部效力，他本以為自己會在那裡效力一輩子，但在2023年合同到期后，他自由轉會到了里昂：“生活顯然發生了不同的變化，我原以為我整個職業生涯都會在英超度過，不過在阿森納的發展並沒有按計劃進行。但我還是很感謝俱樂部，在我離開的時候，他們沒有設置任何障礙。就和大多數球員一樣，我離開是因為我想上場踢球。”
On why he didn't join another Premier League club, Niles said: "I told my agent, don't tell me which clubs are interested in me, just which ones have a clear offer. Lyon was the first club to make a clear offer to me, and it was hard for me to say no to such a big club that showed their trust and confidence in me, and it was a good opportunity to try different circumstances, I needed more love at the time, and I thought Lyon was a good fit for me. I'm happy with where I am and I can't say what the future holds, but I'm happy and enjoying being here at the moment. I'm still the same player I was at Arsenal but now I'm stronger and more consistent and I know what it takes to be successful. ”
'I'm still a fan of Arsenal and I've watched most of the team's games. Winning the FA Cup for Arsenal fulfilled my childhood dream, it was the pinnacle of my career. I've been supporting Arsenal since I was 6 years old and I wish them all the best. Arteta delves into how Pep Guardiola has taken his team's football to new heights and become one of the best coaches in the world. He also learned how to break down the opposition's defence, how to perform at the best in the game, and although he didn't win the Premier League, it was clear that they had improved a lot in the past two years. ”
Speaking about his relationship with Arteta, Niles said: 'I wouldn't say there's anything special about him, I have a lot of respect for him as a manager, I think he's a tactical genius, but I'm just a normal player and manager with him, not particularly close. Now Arsenal are a bit too reliant on Bukayo Saka and you can't expect too much from a young player like that, he's not at his peak yet. But I think Bukayo Saka is the driving force in the team and when he's not playing, Arsenal lose some of their attacking threat. He's already one of the best wingers in the world and he's been very consistent, knows how to finish games and can take crucial chances in a genius way. ”
Niles also said of Arsenal's 18-year-old attacker Nwaneri: "From a physical point of view, he's an absolutely incredible talent, with no stage fright. He's always brave enough to take his opponents head-to-head and try to create chances. You can see he's trying to be the leader of the team, and even though he's playing in the same position as Odegaard and Bukayo Saka, he's in a tough competition, but he's trying to solidify his position, he's capable of doing it, he has a bright future ahead of him, you just have to take your chances. ”
Niles, who won the Europa League with Jose Mourinho on loan at Roma, said of the experience and the feeling of working together: "Jose Mourinho is a very interesting guy and he told us about his previous stories in the dressing room and how he won cup finals and different league titles, which are lessons that you can learn from. A lot of players will say they love him or hate him, but Mourinho is a good guy and what he sees is what he hears. ”
Speaking about the upcoming Europa League clash with Manchester United and his return to England afterwards, Niles said: "People underestimate Lyon and we are a big club with a long history. We want to win, we want more and we want to get back to the Champions League. We respect Amorim's Manchester United, but not too much. They haven't been particularly good this season, but if you give them too much respect, players like Fernandes and Eriksen can easily punish you. We're a great team, with a great manager and a great team spirit, so we're not afraid, we're going to give it our all and believe we can win. And as an Englishman, it would feel good to be home. Old Trafford is what they call the Theatre of Dreams, which can pave or shatter your dreams. ”