Nottingham Forest defender Ola Aina rose through the ranks at the Chelsea Academy before earning himself a Premier League medal with Antonio Conte in 2016.
However, at the end of that season, he was shipped on loan to Hull City and never returned to play in Blue. His career trajectory has seen him don for Torino in Italy and Fulham before joining Forest.
Reflecting on his time in Chelsea Youth ranks, Aina said, “We were going into games knowing that we were going to win. Every game, whether it be a friendly, or FA Cup or youth Champions League.
Aina is now hoping to beat Chelsea in their Premier League clash on Saturday at the City ground. A win would confirm Nottingham Forest's Premier League stay next season.
“I like playing against Chelsea and I still support them after being there for so many years. Everyone has got their opinions about how things are going for them but this is a new era and it’s not always easy to maintain that level of success," Aina said.
“I am really enjoying my time here at Forest. I love it. It’s been great and they have welcomed me in with open arms.
"All we care about is getting on the pitch and performing well. With things not going our way we have got closer together and want to fight for the badge and the club. Our fans can see that togetherness when we’re on the pitch. We have been relentless and won’t stop fighting until the end.”
