Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has revealed that he came close to signing for Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster but walked away from the opportunity after being left waiting for nearly five hours without communication from the club.
The 28-year-old Nottingham Forest right-back shared the story during an appearance on the 90s Baby Show, describing the experience as a turning point that redirected his career to Chelsea’s academy.
“I was at Spurs, training and training. Then they told me they were going to sign me on a particular day after training,” Aina recalled.
“The time comes, we go into an office and me and my dad are told to sit. We sat there one hour, two hours, almost five hours. I was already complaining to my dad that I was hungry. He told me to go into the office, but we just got fed up and left. They never said anything to us after that.”
Disillusioned by Tottenham’s handling of the situation, Aina later joined Chelsea’s academy in 2013, where he progressed through the youth ranks. However, despite early promise, he was unable to establish himself in the senior squad at Stamford Bridge.
The England-born defender spent time on loan at Hull City and Torino FC before Chelsea eventually sold him permanently to the Italian club in 2019. Aina later had a loan stint at Fulham before returning to Torino and eventually moving to Nottingham Forest in 2023.
Since joining Forest, Aina has become a key figure under manager Nuno Espírito Santo, delivering standout performances last season and earning a nomination for the Premier League Team of the Season.
Next season, Aina will face fresh challenges as Nottingham Forest prepare for European football, having finished seventh in the Premier League. The club secured a spot in the UEFA Europa League after Crystal Palace, despite winning the FA Cup, were placed in the UEFA Conference League due to multi-club ownership regulations.
The upcoming campaign will mark Aina’s first-ever Europa League appearance, and the versatile full-back is expected to play a key role as Forest embark on their continental journey.