"I'm just trying to lift the gardening world" - Ex-Arsenal midfielder now involved in building surprise alternate career

Former Arsenal prospect Henri Lansbury was tipped for a bright future in the sport by Arsene Wenger, but he would have a career change. A redirection of his passions later in life has seen the one time Gunner become a gardener and landscaper of repute.

The former England Under 21 international was tipped for the top by Wenger in 2010 before he was sold to Nottingham Forest in 2012. While the 33-year-old still makes his living off the pitch, it is as a caretaker of the turf instead of as a player.

Speaking to TALKSPORT, Lansbury gave an update on his life now:

“We’re going in the right direction, a few local clubs have asked for it, and we’ve put it down on their pitches as well. I want to give back to the local clubs really.

"I want them to have a nice pitch to play on, there’s nothing better than a kid running on a pitch with stripes on it, and that’s what it does, it helps stripe it off. A lot of it is to do with branding. You see the other companies … all plastic boxes, quite dull, quite boring. I’m just trying to lift the gardening world,"

Despite the former Arsenal man’s transition to another career, he still holds the Gunners close to his heart and hopes to work on the Emirates pitch someday.

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Agent of released Arsenal youngster hits out at critics

Arsenal have a history of accepting youngsters from across the world into their prestigious academy and moulding them into some of the best talents in the world. Players like Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah have made it through the academy and become players of acclaim.

However, not every player makes the pitch for the Gunners, and one such player is sadly Catalina Cirjan. The Young Romanian was released by Arsenal to mixed reactions, and the 21-year-old will have to lickstart his career somewhere else.

His agent, Catalin Sarmasan, meanwhile, took to Facebook to blast his client's detractors following his release, posting on the social network:

“The news that Arsenal and Catalin Cirjan decided to go their separate ways, even though there is still a year of contract, has triggered a general hysteria among Romanians with black souls.

"There was not so much joy even when the Gunners signed Catalin. Brothers, we won, Cirjan failed to replace Odegaard at Arsenal! Now we are happy. We were afraid he would succeed and he would show us how mediocre we are,’ thought the ‘deserving ones’.”

The agent’s outburst at Cirjan’s detractors, though, didn't extend to Arsenal. The midfielder will now focus on restarting his career or focusing on other endeavors.

Meanwhile, he's not the only player to depart north London this summer, as the likes of Mohammed Elneny, Cedric Soares and Arthur Okonkwo have also been let go.