Our Young Gun series gets to know the academy youngsters kicking off their careers at the Sobha Realty Training Centre.
Maalik Hashi spoke to us recently about his pathway from Chelsea to Arsenal and the impact of the challenges of making the step up to full-time football.
I grew up in west London, around Uxbridge. My journey into football started when my dad used to take me to all his tournaments when I was really young. Watching him play made me fall in love with the game.
He never played at a high level, but he often played in five-a-side tournaments and friendly matches with his friends. I'd often join in, and that's what really sparked my passion for football.
My family background is Somali and British. The Somali side is from my dad, and it's something I'm really proud of.
When I was younger, the player I looked up to most was Lionel Messi because he's simply brilliant. As I've grown older, my inspirations have shifted a bit. Now I look up to players like Pedri, Jamal Musiala and Cole Palmer - creative, attacking midfielders who play with flair and intelligence.
The first team I played for was Ruislip Rangers, which is a local club in my area. I took part in a few tournaments there, and eventually I was picked up by Chelsea. I joined their development sessions and stayed there for five or six years before deciding to move on when I reached under-13 level.
My family and I felt it was the right time to look for a new challenge; when Arsenal showed interest, it felt like the perfect fit - the environment, the style of play and the opportunity to develop suited me really well.
When I arrived at Arsenal, everything felt different in a really positive way. From the training ground to the coaches, everyone made me feel welcome. It was easy to settle in, and I bonded with the team quickly.
"When Arsenal showed interest, it felt like the perfect fit - the environment, the style of play and the opportunity"
Hale End holds a lot of special memories for me and will always have a place in my heart. Some standout moments were travelling to Brazil to take part in the adidas Flamengo Cup, and winning the Under-16 Premier League Cup final last season.
Beating Chelsea 3-1 at Kingsmeadow (in the Premier League Cup final) was a brilliant way to finish that chapter of my journey and a proud way to graduate from Hale End with a trophy. Signing my scholarship and moving to the Sobha Realty Training Centre was an amazing moment for my career.
The jump from part-time to full-time football has been huge. The schedule is more demanding now, with daily training, more analysis sessions and higher intensity throughout the week.
Back at Hale End we balanced school and training, but now it's more football-focused. That's helped us bond as a group because we're together every day, and the team has made a strong start to the season.
On a personal level, I think I've had a positive start too. The team has been brilliant; our goal is to win trophies and make our mark. We want this team to be remembered for achieving something special.
I've also had the opportunity to train with the first team a couple of times. The intensity is on another level, and it's easy to see why they've been successful over the last few seasons. The players were all really positive but you can feel how focused and driven they are. It definitely motivates me to keep working hard so I can reach that level.
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