A product of the Arsenal academy, the defender was released by the Gunners when he was just 18 and close to a decade later he is in line to face his former club this weekend at Elland Road.
Ayling acknowledged his past at Arsenal, but insisted that he has no ties with the club anymore as he never played or trained with the first team and does not know anyone who plays there at the moment.
However, he conceded it is nice to finally get a chance to play against the Gunners and that too in a Premier League game, which he admitted was never in his thoughts.
Ayling claimed that he always thought that the only chance he would get to play against Arsenal would be in a cup tie and never did he imagine that he would line up against them in a Premier League clash.
The defender told LUTV: “I spent a lot of time there as a kid.
“But I was only a kid then and never really trained or played with the first team or anything.
“I don’t know anyone there, I have got no ties there so for me it is just another game.
“Obviously spent a lot of time there and yes it is nice to finally play against them after all these years and after getting released at 18.
“To think I am going to play against them, maybe if we draw them in the cup or something, I might get a chance to play against them.
“But to get a chance to play against them in the Premier League, it would be nice.”
Ayling is almost certain to start if he is fit when Leeds host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday.
