Ola Aina Reveals How he almost joined Spurs

Super Eagles defender Ola Aina has opened up about a pivotal moment early in his career when a proposed move to Tottenham Hotspur fell apart, not due to ability, but poor communication.

The Nottingham Forest full-back, speaking on the 90s Baby Show, revealed that he and his father were left waiting for nearly five hours at Tottenham’s training ground on the day he was supposedly set to sign with the North London club. Eventually, with no communication from the staff, they gave up and walked out.

“I was at Spurs, training regularly, and they said they were going to sign me after one of the sessions,” Aina recalled. “We went into an office, me and my dad, and we were asked to sit and wait. One hour passed, then two, and we were still waiting nearly five hours later. I remember telling my dad I was hungry. Eventually, we just got tired of waiting and left. We never heard from them again.”

The experience left a sour taste, and soon after, Aina chose a different path, joining Chelsea’s academy in 2013. He progressed through the youth ranks at Stamford Bridge but struggled to break into the first team, making only a handful of senior appearances.

Loan stints at Hull City and Torino followed before the Italian side secured his services permanently in 2019. Aina later had a brief spell at Fulham before returning to Torino, and eventually signed with Nottingham Forest last season.

Since arriving at the City Ground, the 28-year-old has become a key figure in Forest’s backline. His consistent performances earned him a nomination for the Premier League Team of the Season.

With Forest securing a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, the club is set to compete in the UEFA Europa League next season, a new challenge for Aina, who has yet to feature in the competition. Their European qualification was confirmed after FA Cup winners Crystal Palace were redirected to the Conference League due to UEFA’s multi-club ownership regulations.

Aina will now look to bring his international experience and defensive prowess to the European stage, as Forest gear up for their first continental campaign in decades.