Daily Cannon has learned Vontae Daley-Campbell never received a professional contract offer from Arsenal before his departure to Leicester City in the summer of 2019.

BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND - MAY 13: Vontae Daley-Campbell of England during the UEFA European Under-17 Championship Between Norway and England at Pirelli Stadium on May 13, 2018 in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)
BURTON-UPON-TRENT, ENGLAND – MAY 13: Vontae Daley-Campbell of England during the UEFA European Under-17 Championship Between Norway and England at Pirelli Stadium on May 13, 2018, in Burton-upon-Trent, England. (Photo by Tony Marshall/Getty Images)

Daley-Campbell’s scholarship deal with Arsenal expired in the summer of 2019 and many of us were under the impression it was his decision to let that happen. Earlier reports had suggested the club made him a contract offer and he’d refused to sign it.

Daily Cannon, however, has been reliably informed that Daley-Campbell never had a contract offer on the table throughout his two-year scholarship deal.

The 18-year-old wanted to sign for Arsenal, the club he’d been with for nine years, but was never given the chance.

The situation declined rapidly in February when the right-back was dropped in favour of Zak Swanson for the FA Youth Cup match against West Bromwich Albion that they lost 2-1.

After that defeat, Daley-Campbell was back in the team but the message to the player was clear – Swanson, Olowu, and even midfielder Olayinka, would get chances at right-back ahead of him.

With over 30 offers coming in for the teenager from other clubs, he started to consider his options.

Vontae Daley-Campbell joins Leicester City

Leicester manager, Brendan Rodgers, ended up convincing Daley-Campbell to join Leicester in a 90-minute meeting, spending more time with the player than he’d had face-to-face with Freddie Ljungberg all year.

It’s a real shame, as Daley-Campbell was clearly a talented Arsenal prospect. Like most youth defenders he still has his flaws, but he’s an exciting player going forward and never really had the chance to prove his worth at u23 level.

At least the England u18 international now has a chance to push on with Leicester, and Arsenal will just have to hope they’ve made the right decision on the players they selected ahead of him.

The Foxes signed him at the start of July after he reportedly turned down the chance to sign for RB Leipzig.