CHERRIES winger Arnaut Danjuma said how football had “kept me enjoying life” while enduring a “difficult” period in his childhood.

The Lagos-born star revealed how he had become briefly homeless following the divorce of his parents and had also been put into foster care.

Now embarking on a career in the Premier League following a £13.7million move to Vitality Stadium from Club Brugge, Danjuma reflected on his journey to the top flight.

He told afcb.co.uk: “I started playing football when I was four. It kept me out of trouble and kept me enjoying life. It was an escape.

“After my parents had got divorced, it was difficult for my mother to find a place to live and to make a living.

“We didn’t have anywhere of our own to live and stayed with friends when we could. Some days, we would end up sleeping in the car because we had no place to go.

“It was only for a short period of time and it wasn’t long before she found her own place. Then, everything went right but the beginning was very difficult.

“Eventually, myself and my brother and sister went to live with foster families. I didn’t like it. They wouldn’t take me to football and wouldn’t take me to school.

“My dad would pick me up in the morning, drop me at school, pick me up from school, drop me at the foster family, pick me up at the foster family, drop me at football, pick me up from football and drop me at the foster family.

“My mother did a great job as well and took care of the kids whenever it was possible.

“Even though they are divorced, my parents have always had a good relationship. Sometimes when people divorce, you hear stories about them having a negative way of communicating but, for me, everything has been perfect with the family.”

The 22-year-old has now bought his mother a property in England, while his father watches his games from Holland.

Danjuma could line up for Cherries at Newcastle on Saturday.