Young Gun: Jaden Dixon | Interview | News

Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.

Jaden Dixon spoke to us recently about his wide-ranging heritage, moving between academies and breaking into the first team at Stoke City.

I grew up in the Romford area and had a great upbringing. Football has always been a huge part of my life. My dad played Sunday League, and I would go and watch him every week, sitting on the sidelines with my family. That’s where it really started for me. I remember thinking, I want to do this. From then on, my dad began taking me to training, and it just grew from there.

I come from a mixed background. My dad is Jamaican, born in England to Jamaican parents, and my mum is half Turkish-Cypriot and half English. There is a lot of culture in our household and that has shaped who I am.

My first team was a local Sunday League side at under-7s. That was when I properly started playing. I remember going to a huge Chelsea camp at Cobham and actually crying because I was so nervous. My dad encouraged me afterwards, and looking back, I think that was the moment I realised how much I wanted football to be my life.

Soon after that, I joined Dagenham and Redbridge at under-8s. I was there for a year before moving on. I joined Tottenham at under-9s and stayed there until under-16s. My time there was huge for my development, especially on the ball. I really learned how to protect it, dribble under pressure and improve technically.

When I was released at under-16 and didn’t receive a scholarship, it was tough. But in a way, it gave me a new drive. It felt like a reset and a chance to prove people wrong and become the best version of myself. In the end, it helped me grow. That next step took me to Stoke City at the start of my under-17 season.

Making my professional debut for Stoke was an incredible moment. Every kid who grows up playing football dreams of that. My debut came in the EFL Cup away at Carlisle United. We won 2-0, I played the full game, and I felt I performed well. It was a special night.

Most of my appearances so far have been away from home, so I have not yet had that experience in front of the home fans. But playing at St Mary’s in front of more than 16,000 fans in the EFL Cup, especially against a Premier League side at the time, was a huge moment for me.

I also made my Championship debut off the bench against Watford at Vicarage Road. That one meant a lot because Watford is close to London, so a lot of my family were able to be there to support me.

“I was shocked, but over the moon.  Arsenal is a massive club with a fantastic pathway for young players”

The move to Arsenal happened very quickly. I had heard there was interest, but serious conversations only began three days before the transfer window shut. I found out on the Saturday, the deadline was Monday, and suddenly I was having my medical.

It all moved fast. I was shocked, but over the moon. Arsenal is a massive club with a fantastic pathway for young players.

I already knew a few of the boys, especially Max Dowman from England under-19s. He is a top player. As one of the older lads in that group, I tried to help him where I could. I also knew Andre Harriman-Annous from England under-18s, plus a few others through mutual connections.

Settling in has been smooth. The coaches and players have been brilliant. They are supportive but also demanding, which pushes me to improve every day.

I’ve trained with the first team a couple of times now. One player who really stood out to me was Gabriel Jesus. His touch and finishing are top level. But across the board, the standard is incredibly high. It has been a great experience so far.

Between now and the end of the season, my focus is simple. Play as many games as possible for the under-21s, impress in training and show exactly what I am about. Hopefully, that leads to a first-team opportunity and the chance to take the next step.