Tottenham coach reveals Arsenal star's shock request to him

Jermain Defoe, a former Tottenham Hotspur striker, has revealed a message he received from Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah.

Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah asked Jermain Defoe for help with scoring goals and positioning in the summer.

Defoe, who used to play for Tottenham Hotspur, was a renowned scorer in his day. The former striker scored 162 goals in his Premier League career, the ninth-best goal record in the league’s history. He now works as an academy coach and an ambassador for Spurs since retiring in 2022.

So, when Nketiah messaged him on Instagram for advice, it took him by surprise.

“I thought it was a joke,” Defoe said on Premier League Productions.

“In pre-season, he messaged me on Instagram. He wanted to speak about finishing and movement, all that sort of stuff.

“I thought you know what, I like that because that’s a young centre forward that wants to try and get as much from other players that have played the game in that position as he can. Someone who wants to learn.”

Nketiah has since gone on to score five goals in Arsenal’s opening 10 Premier League games this season. He recently bagged a hat-trick in the 5-0 win over Sheffield United.

“I love him. What a player,” Defoe added. “All the stuff you want your center-forwards to do, he does.”

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