‘Liverpool sent a private jet, but I wanted to sign for Arsenal’ – Footballer of the Year award winner shares details on transfer saga

Arsenal have had a history of reportedly missing out on big stars. This includes under Arsene Wenger, who missed out on signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto’o. 

Between 2021 and 2023, Mikel Arteta went big in the transfer market. Enforcing his squad with the additions of Ben White, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus, Zinchenko and Jorginho. Most of these players have become a key part of the Gunners now.

Arteta had to rebuild the Arsenal side after he took over in 2019. He sold big name players including Lacazette and Aubameyang, who was the club captain.

Arsenal are now a formidable side in the Premier League, and after last season – they are now genuine title contenders.

Bukayo Saka reflected the mentality at the club when he said the Gunners have to win trophies this year:

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on us but I do think this is the year.

“I think we’ve been close the last two years, and we’re getting close, but yeah this will hopefully be the year.”

How Arsenal missed out on signing Serie A winner

Piotr Zielinski joined Inter Milan on a free after spending eight years at Napoli. The Polish international revealed that during his time in Naples, he had the opportunity to move to the Premier League.

Zielinksi said that Liverpool and Arsenal could have signed him but he eventually stayed to play under Luciano Spalletti:

“There was already looking around for medical care for my wife and child, where I was going to live. Coach [Luciano] Spalletti took me aside once and asked me what was going on, and I said I would rather stay, fight for the championship. He said I want you to stay and that it would be the best version of Zielinski. I stayed because I didn’t really feel this London either.”

He added, “Liverpool sent a private jet to Florence for me and I flew with my agent Bartlomiej Bolek – we drove up to [Jurgen] Klopp’s house afterwards, we had a great conversation. It was the first time I had flown like that. He said that for him I was a mix of [Ilkay] Gundogan and [Cesc] Fabregas.”

Zielinski was named Poland’s Footballer of the Year in 2023 after an outstanding season for club and country.

“We watched a Premier League match at his place on his giant TV, I had never seen anything like that either. Arsenal were closer to realisation than Barcelona because De Laurentiis didn’t want a few boys from La Masia in return.”

Zielinski eventually stayed in Naples for a few seasons before leaving the club to join the Serie A holders Inter Milan.