“It’s exactly like going into the teacher’s office,” Eberechi Eze smiles, sitting on a leathery sofa at Queens Park Rangers’ makeshift training ground. The 21-year-old is one of the most exciting playmakers in English football, scorer of 10 goals already this season and coveted by a handful of Premier League clubs, but before that came the demoralising trail of release and rejection that ultimately led him here.

​“It started at Arsenal,” he explains. “I was 13 [when I was released]. That was the worst one. I remember crying in my room for a solid week, my mum telling me that it’s going to be OK but not being able to get over it. Then I went to Fulham and I was finally starting to enjoy my football again. We played Arsenal a few months later but, when I went over to shake the academy manager’s hand, I started welling up. All the feelings came back.”

After Fulham came four months at Reading, then a numbing spell at Millwall, where the Spartan aggression and route-one ideology left no space for a floating No 10 who craved the ball at his feet. “Over and over again,” Eze says. “As much as I wasn’t happy at Millwall, it was a platform to play. I didn’t expect to be released, but I was so used to the feeling. As soon as I went into [Neil Harris’] office I was thinking ‘this could go left’. You have to try and just get on with it but it was definitely difficult to cope with.”

Back then, the languid array of skills which have captivated the Championship this season were Eze’s hindrance. He was a raw and addictive talent to scouts but lacked polish and was quickly pigeonholed by academy coaches as a luxury player. After Millwall, the maze grew tighter as second and third chances ground to dead ends – first at Sunderland, then Bristol City and Swansea – with Eze’s work rate consistently cited as the sticking point. “The reason was always that it didn’t look like my desire was there,” he says. “The same thing again and again. All I could think was if you only you knew in my head how much I want this. It’s probably a bad thing but I didn’t think I needed to change [the type of player I was]. I probably should’ve tried to adapt, not play two different systems in one team, but I just wanted to get on the ball and enjoy myself.”

This may well be Eze’s last interview as a QPR player. This month, he’s already been linked with moves to Tottenham, Southampton and Sheffield United and there’s a reluctant acceptance at the club that he’s unlikely to be here next season. Yet, as far-fetched as it seems now, in the summer of 2016 Eze was facing the prospect of a “real life” away from football, preparing to start a part-time job at Tesco and even considering college courses. “I honestly have no idea what I would have done,” he laughs. “I didn’t like anything at school. Even P.E was a drag. When my agent told me I had a trial at QPR I just thought: ‘I have to get in’. There was no other option.”

January transfer targets Show all 41 1 /41 January transfer targets January transfer targets January Transfer Targets Forty exciting players from across Europe who could potentially move this month. Getty January transfer targets Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) £80m winger has consistently pushed for a move away from Selhurst Park, with Chelsea the most likely destination. Getty January transfer targets Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund) German side are keen to hold onto the England international until the summer, however, a host of European clubs are looking to force Dortmund's hand. AFP via Getty Images January transfer targets Leroy Sane (Manchester City) Bayern Munich continue to be linked with the injured winger, with a Bundesliga move looking inevitable either this month or in the summer. Getty Images January transfer targets Dayot Upamecano (RB Leipzig) Arsenal were linked with the centre-back over the summer, but his £60m asking price may prove a stumbling block. Bongarts/Getty Images January transfer targets Timo Werner (RB Leipzig) Striker has been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, although a number of European clubs are interested. German internaitonal may stay until the summer with Leipzig on such good form. Bongarts/Getty Images January transfer targets Ben Chilwell (Leicester) Leicester have pledged to hold onto the full-back until the summer, when Chelsea and Man City are set to battle for his signature. Getty Images January transfer targets Paul Pogba (Manchester United) Speculation has begun to boil yet again over Pogba's future, especially after the incendiary comments of his agent, Mino Raiola. He is expected to remain at least until the summer, though. PA January transfer targets Gareth Bale (Real Madrid) Came close to a move to China in the summer before the plug was pulled at the 11th hour. The same conundrum remains as to whether any club is willing to match his exorbitant wages. Getty January transfer targets Christian Eriksen (Tottenham) Has made clear his intention to leave Spurs when his contract expires in the summer and favours a move overseas, with Inter Milan reportedly entering talks with the Danish midfielder. Getty Images January transfer targets Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) French World Cup-winner has been consistently linked with a move away from the Camp Nou, with Arsenal previously holding an interest. The 26-year-old would command a large fee, but was in attendance to watch Arsenal vs Manchester United on New Year's Day. Icon Sport via Getty Images January transfer targets Olivier Giroud (Chelsea) The curtain is almost certain to draw on the Frenchman's Chelsea career as he looks to secure his place at Euro 2020, having been almost completely shut out by Frank Lampard. Getty Images January transfer targets Nathan Ake (Bournemouth) Chelsea have long considered activating Dutch defender's £40m buy-back clause. Other clubs are also taking an interest as the Cherries toil. REUTERS January transfer targets Edinson Cavani (PSG) Veteran Uruguay striker is set to leave the Parc des Princes after being usurped by Mauro Icardi. Atletico Madrid and a number of MLS sides are reportedly taking an interest. REUTERS January transfer targets Thomas Lemar (Atletico Madrid) Frenchman has failed to deliver in his time at Atletico and Lyon are looking to make an approach to bring the midfielder back to Ligue 1. AFP/Getty Images January transfer targets Jarrod Bowen (Hull) It's inevitable that Hull will eventually cash in on the exciting winger who has already scored 16 goals this season. Aston Villa are currently favourites to secure his signature. Action Images January transfer targets Emerson (Chelsea) Left-back has fallen out of favour under Frank Lampard, who is in search of a replacement, and Inter Milan and Juventus have taken an interest in the Italy international. Getty January transfer targets Rhian Brewster (Liverpool - loan) Prodigious English striker has struggled for game time this season with Swansea, currently manager by former England U17 coach Steve Cooper, leading the race for his signature. Action Images via Reuters January transfer targets Curtis Jones (Liverpool - loan) Another exciting academy graduate, Jones made his debut this season but could join a Championship side in January to get increased game time after the arrival of Takumi Minamino. Liverpool FC via Getty Images January transfer targets Marcos Alonso (Chelsea) Spaniard has been sidelined by Frank Lampard and is pushing for a January move, with Serie A the likeliest option. REUTERS January transfer targets Nemanja Matic (Manchester United) Serbian's contract expires in the summer with Manchester United willing to cash in. However, any move could hinge on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side bringing in reinforcements after Scott McTominay's injury. PA January transfer targets Moussa Dembele (Lyon) Another striking option scouted by Chelsea, the former Celtic player could arrive as a direct replacement for Olivier Giroud. AFP/Getty Images January transfer targets Gedson Fernandes (Benfica) Portuguese midfielder has emerged as a target for Manchester United with his agent reportedly sighted in London for talks. AP January transfer targets Alfredo Morelos (Rangers) Controversial Rangers striker has been linked with a move to Newcastle. Reuters January transfer targets Dries Mertens (Napoli) Belgian winger is available on a cut-price deal in January, with his contract at Napoli expiring in the summer. Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, Arsenal and Everton have all been linked. SSC NAPOLI via Getty Images January transfer targets Federico Bernardeschi (Juventus) With Juventus completing a £38m deal for Dejan Kulusevski, Bernardeschi could be the attacking option that makes way at the Italian champions. January transfer targets Emre Can (Juventus) German international fumed after being left out Juventus' Champions League squad and is set to depart after falling down the pecking order. Getty Images January transfer targets Andreas Iniesta (Vissel Kobe) Barcelona legend has been linked with an MLS move as well as with Estudiantes in Argentina. Getty January transfer targets James Rodriguez (Real Madrid) Has seen his star fade dramatically yet remains one of the most skilful attacking midfielders in Europe. Everton have been linked, although it's unlikely the Colombian would take such a significant step down at this stage. Getty Images January transfer targets Arturo Vidal (Barcelona) Chilean is reportedly suing Barcelona over unpaid bonuses and is set to leave the club in January with Inter Milan currently leading the race for his signature. Getty Images January transfer targets Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) Inter Milan's precocious forward has been linked with Barcelona, Real Madrid as well as a number of Premier League clubs. The Serie A side's president is ready to cash in. REUTERS January transfer targets Danny Loader (Reading) England U17 World Cup-winner saw his deadline day move to Wolves fall through at the last minute. His contract expires in the summer and Reading may look to cash in. Getty January transfer targets Adrien Rabiot (Juventus - loan) French midfielder has seen his game time extremely limited under Maurizio Sarri and has been linked with a loan move. Getty Images January transfer targets Che Adams (Southampton - loan) Out-of-sorts striker has failed to deliver since joining Southampton in the summer and could be set for a loan move back to the Championship. Getty Images January transfer targets Dani Olmo (Dinamo Zagreb) A number of clubs in Spain and England have been linked with the exciting 21-year-old winger. Getty Images January transfer targets Nathan Ferguson (West Brom) Teenage defender is one of the most promising talents in the Championship and has been scouted by a host of Premier League clubs. The latest off the WBA production line. WBA FC via Getty Images January transfer targets Eberechi Eze (QPR) A brilliant playmaker in the Championship, Eze has already scored 10 goals from midfield this season and attracted interest from Tottenham and Sheffield United. Getty January transfer targets Isco (Real Madrid) Spanish midfielder continues to be linked with a move away from the Bernabeu, with Chelsea among a number of clubs to consider the 27-year-old. Getty January transfer targets Marcos Rojo (Manchester United) Everton had a bid rejected for the centre-back in the summer, however, United are now ready to let the Argentine go after the emergence of Axel Tuanzebe as back-up. AP January transfer targets Patrick Cutrone (Wolves) Wolves are reportedly considering cutting their losses with the 21-year-old striker who's struggled since his move from AC Milan. Getty Images January transfer targets James Maddison (Leicester) The attacking midfielder continues to draw interest from Manchester United, who are desperately searching for a creative force this window. Getty Images

Eze’s easy charisma is a reflection of his football but, beneath his grin, he admits the potholed ride has scored him with a harder edge. “I’m much more resilient in terms of my mindset and not caring what people think, as long as I’m making the people around me happy,” he says. “Just like last year, you get a lot of people having opinions” – referring to a similar vein of criticism he received during his first season in the Championship – “but it’s your job to make sure you can cope with it. I’ve just learned to stick to my instinct because that’s what got me here.”

His rapid development this season is also a credit to the club’s manager, Mark Warburton. He’s styled the side around Eze’s No 10 role – a brave risk to take on any unproven player – and ensured the team play attractive football along the floor. The shift has unshackled Eze, giving him the freedom to create and take players on. Take one memorable example against Hull earlier this season when he ran almost the entire length of the pitch, tangling three defenders en route, before winning the first of two penalties.

“[The manager] has taught me so much, in working off the ball, my energy levels,” he says. “At the start of the season, he let me know ‘last season is gone, you’re a different player now, you’re in a team where we want to get you the ball’ and it’s helped me a lot. I like doing skills, entertaining, that’s how I’ve played football my whole life.”

It’s the cocksure brand of cage football that’s swept a generation of footballers from south London. Raised in the flats by the Old Greenwich Hospital, staring out at the glassy new-builds opposite, Eze admits football doubled as an escape. “There are the nice parts [of Greenwich] and the not so nice parts. I grew up in a not so nice part,” he says. “It wasn’t the easiest life and you don’t have as much as other kids around you. The first place we’d go after school is to the cage. We’d stay there till our parents called us in, not eating, playing all day and night. There wasn’t really anything else to do. But that’s where the love comes from. [At the time], you don’t realise it’s actually how you’re learning your trade.”

And while he is aware of the uncertainty over his future, Eze repeatedly stresses his gratitude to QPR for always encouraging him to stay true to that expressive, flair-driven style he developed at such a young age. “They’ve given me the platform to enjoy myself and helped nurture me into the player they always believed I could be,” he says. “The fact I can do it at QPR, I’m hugely proud.” The speculation he brushes off as “part and parcel of football”.