One of the biggest players at the moment, regardless of his poor form lately, Arsenal fans would love to see Antoine Griezmann in their jersey. With this almost impossible to achieve now, Gooners will be heartbroken to hear that the Frenchman was once attainable.
The Atletico ace discussed how he nearly moved to the Emirates Stadium in his new book (as per The Sun). This occurred back in 2013 when the Frenchman was a rising star at Real Sociedad.
According to the attacker, his agent Eric Olhats had been contacted by Arsenal scout Gilles Grimandi. Grimandi expressed to Olhats on several occasion Wenger’s desire to sign Griezmann.
The attacker writes that he was excited over the prospect of joining the North London club, and thus waiting for the Premier League club. When they did not hear back from Arsenal, his manager contact Grimandi and was told to hold on as he remained a target for Le Prof.
Of course, that move did not go through. Arsenal never made a concrete bid for the star, and thus he remained at Sociedad the following season. The Gunners eventually returned for Antoine, but the Frenchman’s answer was easy.
“Finally a few hours before the market closed, he let us know Arsenal would not make a move. I don’t like to be told something and for it not to happen.
"So when Eric told me later that the London club were interested again I told him: ‘Forget it, after the blow they gave us.'”
2013 was the summer Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil for a then club record transfer on deadline day. It was also the summer they signed Yaya Sanogo for free. Griezmann is now another name on the list of star names Wenger almost signed.
The Gunners, the club Griezmann almost signed for, will be in action on Wednesday. Wenger's side takes on Huddersfield in the English top-flight, as Matchday 14 continues this midweek.
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