Arsenal's overlooked XI - the superstar transfers they overlooked out on

Angel Di Maria: Arsene Wenger wanted to sign the Manchester United guy as a 17-year-antique however turned into denied by means of paintings permit regulations. The Argentina winer was playing for Rosario central on the time however subsequently moved to Benfica alternatively and ultimately ended up at antique Trafford, thru real Madrid, in a deal really worth £60 million.

Xabi Alonso: in the summer season of 2008, Arsenal had been involved in a protracted transfer saga with Liverpool and Alonso. With the Reds apparently poised to sign Gareth Barry from Aston Villa, Alonso was deemed surplus to requirements by manager Rafa Benitez and became to be had to Arsenal for £18m. The Gunners even though balked on the charge, and Alonso (and Barry) ended up staying where they were. The Spaniard then had a superb season, inspiring Liverpool to a 2d-positioned finish and incomes himself a dream £30m pass to real Madrid.

Didier Drogba: on the start of Drogba’s profession, while he changed into playing for lower-league French aspect Le Mans, Wenger grew to become down signing the Ivorian for as low as £100,000. In 2004 the powerful striker joined Chelsea and scored a magnificent 13 desires in 14 video games in opposition to the Gunners. The ache in missing out on Drogba remains there and in September Wenger admitted: "i would have loved to have controlled Drogba, for two motives: One, I missed him whilst he performed at Le Mans in France, now not even in the top league. I knew there was an excellent player there and i overlooked him. And secondly, due to the fact he harm us so much in massive games that every one this ache would not have happened."

Vincent Kompany: back in 2006, Arsenal have been inside the market for a central defender to replace the departed Sol Campbell. Promising younger Belgian Kompany was to be had from Anderlecht, however even though Arsenal made inquiries, there has been no concrete offer and he signed for Hamburg as a substitute.  Years later he joined Manchester metropolis and has given that advanced into one of the quality defenders in Europe.

Lionel Messi: in the identical season that Arsenal found Fabregas and Pique, their Spanish scouts also noticed the wonder that changed into Messi first hand. The Gunners’ representatives spoke to Messi’s father Jorge approximately the young prodigy relocating to London, however the Messis determined that he would be high-quality served staying in Catalonia. Not a awful decision to be fair.

Gerard Piqué: during the 2002-03 season, a 15-yr-old Piqué travelled to London to finish a address Arsenal, however the signing was behind schedule due to prison complications. Undeterred, the north London membership supplied a verbal settlement that could result in him signing when he become 16 a year later (the equal settlement they had made regarding a positive Cesc Fabregas). In the end Piqué’s dealers turned the offer down, and in 2004 the centre-again signed for Manchester United.

Pepe Reina:Arsenal have reportedly been near signing the Spanish keeper on a few activities, including in 2010 whilst Liverpool resisted a £20 million offer. The Gunners additionally weighed up a £5m bid for the keeper this season, before he finally moved to Bayern Munich. The development of Wojciech Szczesny manner Arsenal enthusiasts may not be ruing lacking out on Reina this summer time, however they may have executed with him four years in the past whilst Manuel Almunia turned into nonetheless inexplicably among the sticks

Cristiano Ronaldo: In November 2002, a young Ronaldo become invited to the Arsenal training ground to satisfy Wenger and the Gunners team of workers, however no address the player became agreed. The subsequent summer, Manchester United made their circulate when they had been shocked by the winger’s ability in a pleasant in opposition to carrying Lisbon. Six glittering years in Manchester accompanied before the Portuguese famous person joined real Madrid for a then international-document fee of £80m. In advance this yr, Wenger said: "My biggest remorse? I was so near signing Cristiano Ronaldo. "And no longer only did I no longer get him, but he signed for Manchester United. That, of route, still hurts these days."

Luis Suarez: one among Wenger’s maximum embarrassing attempts to signal a player came in the summer season of 2013 with the infamous £40,000,000.01 bid for the then Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan become suspended on the time (for biting, could you accept as true with) and Arsenal had it on top authority that a bid of £40m plus £1 might trigger the striker’s release clause. Someplace alongside the line wires were crossed however, and the offer didn’t placed Liverpool beneath any responsibility to promote. The fiasco caused Liverpool’s then proprietor John W. Henry to ask "what do you observed they’re smoking over there at Emirates

 Barcelona's superstar duo Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi are plotting Arsenal's downfall this night, however they could had been playing for the north Londoners. Here's eleven who came close to signing for Arsene Wenger, best to determine their futures lay elsewher

Yaya excursioné: eleven years ago, excursioné had an ordeal for Arsenal or even played in a pre-season friendly for them towards Barnet. Wenger was in  minds about the midfielder but and work-allow issues supposed the Gunners weren’t able to sign him. Rather the Ivorian joined Metalurh Donetsk before finishing up at Manchester town in 2010 thru Barcelona, Olympiacos and Monaco

Zlatan Ibrahimovic: The Swedish superstar famously had an ordeal with Arsenal in 2000 however pulled the plug on any deal after feeling he changed into no longer sufficiently wanted by Wenger and the membership. He said in 2012: "It become a exceptional second for me. Arsenal had a great group then and here became an Arsenal shirt made only for me. So then I waited for him [Wenger] to convince me that I need to join Arsenal. But he failed to even strive. He never truely made me a severe provide, it become more, ‘I need to peer how properly you are, what form of participant you're. Have an ordeal’. I couldn't believe it. I was like, ‘No way, Zlatan doesn't do auditions’."