Ivorian and Premier League star, Wilfried Zaha said he was ready to join Arsenal after a discussion with the then manager Unai Emery ahead of the 2019/2020 season.
The Crystal Palace attacker said he did love to join the club, but at the junction of choice, his fellow Ivorian teammate, Nicolas Pepe was purchased by Arsenal from Lille at a record fee.
Zaha made this known in a conservation with England pundit Jamie Carragher in an interview; he said: “I had a conversation with the manager, actually.
“He was just like, ‘we don’t need to go through much’. He’s seen me play, he knows I can change games at any time and stuff like that. It was like, ‘yeah, we’d love to have you’.
“And I was just like, ‘I’d love to come’.
“The conversation was rather straightforward because I’ve played against him when he’s managed Arsenal, he’s seen what I can do, he’s seen my work rate, what I can add to the team
“Obviously, it was up to the club who they chose, and obviously they chose Pepe over me.”
