Arsenal youngster announces departure in the summer before the final Premier League match against Everton.
Arsenal academy forward Kido Taylor-Hart has announced he will leave the club this summer as his contract expires. The 21-year-old was on loan at Derby last season and played for Bromley in the National League this year.
In an emotional online statement, Taylor-Hart expressed his gratitude: “First, I’d like to thank all the staff, coaches, fans, and players at Arsenal who have shown me love and helped me during my 13 years at this amazing club. I appreciate it more than I can explain. The club has literally seen me grow from a boy to a man [red heart emoji].”
He continued, “It’s time to move on, and I’m excited about the future of my career. [prayer hands emoji, red and white circle emojis]”.
Taylor-Hart struggled to make an impact during his loan spells, not appearing for Derby’s first team and scoring only once in Premier League 2 for Arsenal’s U21 side. After spending the first half of last season with Arsenal’s youth teams, playing just five times, he moved to Bromley in September but only made nine appearances, starting two games and scoring once in April. He was not involved in Bromley’s penalty play-off final win over Solihull Moors earlier this month.
An injury in 2022 hindered his development, although he had previously attracted interest from various clubs. Reflecting on his season, he stated, “I feel good at the end of the season. Despite the injury, I had some valuable experiences and learned a lot.”
During training sessions with Mikel Arteta, Taylor-Hart observed the improvements needed. He mentioned his connections with younger players like Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Eddie Nketiah, and appreciated the support from senior players like Granit Xhaka.