Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has revealed he came close to joining Tottenham Hotspur as a youngster, but a frustrating experience on the day he was set to sign saw the move collapse.

The 28-year-old Nottingham Forest right-back explained that Tottenham’s poor handling of his potential signing left him disillusioned, prompting his eventual switch to Chelsea’s academy instead.

Speaking on the 90s Baby Show, Aina shared how the incident could have drastically changed his career path:

“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 came, and me and my dad were told to sit in an office. We waited an hour, then two, eventually nearly five hours. I even told my dad I was hungry. He said I should go inside, but in the end, we were fed up and just left. They never said anything to us after that.”

After the disappointment, Aina joined Chelsea’s academy in 2013, progressing through the youth ranks but struggling to break into the senior side. Loan spells followed at Hull City and Torino before Chelsea sold him permanently to the Italian club in 2019.

He later alternated between Torino and Fulham before joining Nottingham Forest last year. Since arriving at the City Ground, Aina has become a key figure, delivering standout performances that earned him a nomination for the Premier League Team of the Season.

Next season promises new challenges for Aina as Forest prepare for their return to European football. The Tricky Trees secured a seventh-place finish in the Premier League and qualified for the UEFA Europa League, aided by Crystal Palace’s demotion to the Conference League despite their FA Cup triumph, due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules.

For Aina, who has never featured in the Europa League, it will be a fresh chance to showcase his talent on the continental stage as Forest embark on their European adventure.