Arsene Wenger, the legendary manager of Arsenal, left a lasting impact on the club during his 22-year tenure. He led the team to three Premier League titles, including the famous unbeaten 2003/04 campaign, and seven FA Cups. However, Wenger's legacy could have been even greater if he had successfully signed some of the biggest names in world football. Several players who ultimately became legends elsewhere were, at different stages, on Arsenal's radar.
One of the greatest goalkeepers of his generation, Gianluigi Buffon, was reportedly on Arsenal's radar before he left Parma for Juventus in 2001. Buffon later revealed that he met Wenger for dinner in 1998 when he was just 20 years old. Arsenal ultimately continued with David Seaman and later Jens Lehmann, but the prospect of Buffon between the posts remains one of Wenger's intriguing missed opportunities.
Gerard Piqué, the Barcelona legend, was among the youngsters Wenger wanted to bring to Arsenal. Wenger revealed that Arsenal had targeted Piqué alongside Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi. However, it worked only for Fabregas, who eventually became a key Arsenal player, while Piqué moved to Manchester United before returning to Barcelona, where he established himself as one of the world's leading defenders.
Raphaël Varane, Vincent Kompany, and Gareth Bale were other major defensive opportunities Arsenal missed. Wenger identified Varane during his early development at Lens, but Arsenal never completed a deal. Kompany was considered as a possible replacement for Sol Campbell in 2006, but he eventually joined Hamburg. Bale's transformation from promising left-back to global superstar makes his missed opportunity particularly intriguing, with Wenger later admitting it was a huge mistake.
Claude Makélélé, Yaya Touré, and Lionel Messi were other players who came close to joining Arsenal. Makélélé was close to signing for the club in 1996, but eventually established himself as one of the finest defensive midfielders of his generation with Real Madrid and Chelsea. Touré trained with Arsenal and played in a pre-season match, but the Gunners were unable to complete the deal. Messi, who was also pursued alongside Fabregas and Piqué, remained in Catalonia and built an extraordinary career at Barcelona.
Ronaldinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Kylian Mbappé were superstars who remarkably came close to becoming Arsenal players. Ronaldinho's transfer was ultimately blocked by England's work-permit regulations, while Ronaldo visited Arsenal with his mother and was close to joining before Manchester United won the race. Mbappé, as a teenager at Monaco, attracted the attention of Europe's biggest clubs, with Wenger personally visiting his family and revealing that Mbappé could have joined Arsenal on a free transfer.
The list of players who almost joined Arsenal under Wenger could have been even longer. Other notable mentions include players that Wenger had reportedly considered or scouted during his tenure. Despite these missed opportunities, Wenger's legacy at Arsenal remains significant, and his ability to identify top talent was evident throughout his career.
Key points
- - Wenger's Arsenal missed opportunities on legendary players like Buffon, Ronaldo, and Messi. - Several players, including Varane, Kompany, and Bale, were targeted by Wenger but ultimately joined other clubs. - Wenger's ability to identify top talent was evident throughout his career, with many players he targeted going on to achieve great success elsewhere.
