Chuks Aneke
Chuks Aneke
Several players who developed at Arsenal have built major careers away from the Emirates Stadium. Many left to find regular first-team football.
Folarin Balogun joined Monaco from Arsenal in August 2023 for €40 million, after scoring 21 Ligue 1 goals on loan at Reims in 2022–23.
Last season he scored 13 Ligue 1 goals, the fourth-highest total in the league, and Monaco named him their Player of the Season.
Emiliano Martínez moved to Arsenal in August 2010, aged 17, and joined Aston Villa in 2020. In May, he kept a clean sheet in Villa’s 3–0 Europa League final win over Freiburg, despite breaking a finger in the warm-up.
Martínez joined Chelsea on 30 August. Others from the same system took a longer route through the lower leagues and Europe, and one of them has now ended his playing career.
Chukwuemeka Ademola Amachi “Chuks” Aneke, the former Arsenal academy striker, has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 33. He made the announcement on his official Instagram page on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Juventus make former Arsenal striker top January target
Aneke posted a video montage of his best moments with a message. He wrote: “I’d like to officially announce my retirement from professional football.
“Also, I’d like to express my gratitude to all the coaches all the staff, my teachers, my friends and my family and the fans, the ones who supported me and the ones who didn’t.
“It was all part of an amazing journey and I wouldn’t change it.
“Looking forward to the Second Half ⭕️.
“God bless ❤️”
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A post shared by Chuks Aneke (@caneke10)
Shrewsbury Town, his last club, said in January that he had stepped away from his playing role by mutual consent. Sports247 reports that he wants to work as a scout and television analyst.
Aneke joined Arsenal’s academy in 2001, aged seven, and signed a professional contract in July 2010. He made his only first-team appearance as a 90th-minute substitute in a League Cup tie against Shrewsbury in 2011.
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Arsene Wenger compared him to Yaya Toure in 2011, citing his body power and technique. Arsenal released him in June 2014 after 13 seasons.
Aneke spent loan spells at Stevenage and Preston North End in 2011–12, then two seasons on loan at Crewe Alexandra. He scored 24 goals in 82 appearances for Crewe.
He started their 2–0 win over Southend United in the 2013 Football League Trophy final at Wembley.
He spent two seasons at Belgian club Zulte Waregem before joining MK Dons in August 2016. He scored 19 goals in 2018–19 as MK Dons won promotion from League Two.
Aneke joined Charlton Athletic on a free transfer in 2019 and moved to Birmingham City in 2021. He rejoined Charlton in January 2022 and left when his contract ended in 2025, after the club won promotion to the Championship.
He signed for Shrewsbury in September 2025. He made 15 appearances across all competitions but did not start any of them.
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta
Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta
Arteta at Anfield edit - Liverpool v Arsenal
Arteta at Anfield edit - Liverpool v Arsenal