Ten players Arsenal famously came close to signing.
10. Mark Schwarzer
Now signed as cover for Petr Cech at Chelsea, Mark Schwarzer could have been a great short-term option for Arsenal back in 2010. Arsene Wenger was known to have made a £2million bid to Fulham for the Australian that summer, in desperate need of a replacement for the calamitous Manuel Almunia. Supposedly, bidding just a little extra, closer to £3million, would have landed Arsenal the goalkeeper, but they were unwilling to go higher. This arguably cost them dearly, as Almunia started the 2010/11 season as number one again, before being dropped for youngster Wojciech Szczesny mid-way through the campaign – with hindsight, a little early for the Pole to become first choice for the club.
9. Yaya Toure
Arsenal famously had Yaya Toure on trial as a youngster in the summer of 2003. At the time his brother Kolo remarked that he was a better player than he was, but Wenger didn’t see enough in him during a few pre-season games to consider signing him permanently – then again, he was playing him as a striker. Wenger would have had plenty of chances to sign the midfield powerhouse again before he eventually made a name for himself with Olympiakos and Monaco, and ended up at Barcelona. Now a star player at Manchester City, it’s another case of what could have been for Arsenal, who could have had a world class talent for peanuts before anyone else had heard of him.
8. Zlatan Ibrahimovic
There are a few photos online of Zlatan Ibrahimovic holding up an Arsenal shirt – that’s how close he came to joining the club in 2001, but Arsene Wenger was unwilling to take a gamble on the Swede without having him on trial first. An egotistical character even in his youth, Ibrahimovic obviously declined, and went on to continue his remarkable rise with Dutch side Ajax. He has since gone on to represent Juventus, Inter Milan, Barcelona, AC Milan and PSG, bringing league titles with him wherever he has gone, and is widely regarded as one of the world’s best strikers.
7. Pepe Reina
In this case, perhaps Arsenal dodged a bullet, but at another time when they were in need of a top class goalkeeper, they wrangled with Liverpool over a few million pounds for Pepe Reina. At the time, the Spaniard was one of the best goalkeepers in the league, and was supposedly keen to join the Gunners, but it wasn’t to be. Reina has since gone into sharp decline, and has been shifted out on loan to Napoli this season by manager Brendan Rodgers, who has replaced him with Simon Mignolet – another player who was also linked as an Arsenal target for much of this summer.
6. Wilfried Zaha
In a two-way chase between Manchester United and Arsenal in January, Crystal Palace starlet Wilfried Zaha eventually ended up moving to Old Trafford. Despite being an Arsenal fan and more than willing to move to the Emirates Stadium, it is widely thought that United simply tried harder to land the talented youngster. Although we are yet to see what Zaha is capable of in the Premier League, it looks like once again Arsenal have missed out on a top player when they probably could have signed him with a bit more effort.
5. Luiz Gustavo
In the latest of a long line of transfer gaffes by Arsenal this summer, Luiz Gustavo seems to have made the move to Wolsburg – a side that finished 11th in the Bundesliga last season. The Brazilian would have been a perfect signing for the Gunners, as they are still in need of a true defensive midfielder to replace Alex Song. Gustavo has talked up Arsenal on several occasions this summer, hinting strongly that he would be interested in a move, but the frugal Arsene Wenger seems once again to have been unwilling to meet Bayern Munich’s asking price, bidding just a little too low to persuade them to sell their player. It is not clear now if Wenger will manage to find anyone else for such a reasonable price before the end of the transfer window.
4. Xabi Alonso
Arsenal were strongly in for Xabi Alonso at the start of the 2008/09 season, and supposedly could have had him for just slightly over £18million. With Alonso then moving to Real Madrid for £30million the following season, that looks like an opportunity for a real bargain missed again by the Gunners. The Spaniard would have fitted in perfectly into Arsenal’s style of play, forming a great partnership with fellow countryman Cesc Fabregas, who at the time had to make do with playing alongside the likes of Abou Diaby, Denilson and even Emmanuel Eboue on occasion. Undoubtedly one of the best midfield playmakers of the Premier League in recent years, a very bad decision by Arsenal not to bid slightly higher.
3. Gonzalo Higuain
A deal for Gonzalo Higuain to join Arsenal seemed all but done for a long time this summer, before the Argentine eventually ended up joining Napoli. The former Real Madrid striker had agreed personal terms with the Gunners, before Real increased their asking price from around £25million to the £32million that he eventually went to Serie A for. The skillful striker would have been an excellent addition upfront for Arsene Wenger’s side, and it’s puzzling to think that the manager wouldn’t meet that kind of asking price when he has seemingly been willing to pay far more for Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, who carries far more baggage and potential for trouble in the future.
2. Luis Suarez
While Suarez is a risky signing in terms of his disciplinary problems, the opportunity to make a real statement with a big signing whilst simultaneously weakening a rival was one that Arsenal probably should have taken. Although the situation is not necessarily resolved, it now seems more likely that the Uruguayan will stay at Anfield for at least another season, as Arsenal simply took too long to get their act together. The chance to sign him in the future may have gone now as well, as bigger clubs such as Real Madrid and Juventus could well be in for him next year.
1. Juan Mata
It is a mystery why Arsenal would not be willing to meet Valencia’s asking price of £23.5million for Juan Mata, who has gone on to prove himself to be one of the best attacking midfielders in the world since joining Chelsea. In the summer of 2011, Arsenal were supposedly in the driving seat to sign Mata, with personal terms agreed and the fee the only stumbling block. Once again, it can only have been a few million pounds difference, and Arsenal’s dithering around saw Chelsea swoop in and land themselves a bargain. Meanwhile, Arsenal focused their attentions to Gervinho, who was not even close to being half the player Mata is, despite being about half the price.