Arsene Wenger bought and developed several French players who would perform at world-class levels for Arsenal, but he did miss out on some gems.
France are one of the favourites to win Euro 2024, and have enjoyed recent success having won the 2018 World Cup and reached the 2022 final. Their squad is arguably the best in the world, and there are several top players including William Saliba and former Arsenal target Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe is arguably the best player in the world, and will join Real Madrid this summer, but he nearly Arsenal in 2017 as Wenger even spoke to him as a teenager.
This is a player Arsenal will wish they did not miss out on, but he is not the only one in this current France squad. Antoine Griezmann is also a world-class performer, and he once revealed that he was on the verge of a move to Wenger’s side.
Arsene Wenger missed out on signing Antoine Griezmann for Arsenal in 2013
In his 2017 autobiography, Griezmann, now of Atletico Madrid, revealed that he was close to joining Arsenal, but their slowness over a deal meant a move never materialised.
“I waited, I waited, and I kept waiting,” he claimed.
“When there was no news, Eric (Olhats, agent) called (Giles) Grimandi, who said that the manager was still interested in me [and] to keep waiting.
“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’.”
The summer of 2013 saw no transfer fee spent on a player until a club-record deal for Real Madrid superstar Mesut Ozil was completed. Ozil was one of the best players in the World at the time, whilst Griezmann was an up-and-coming talent at Real Sociedad, but not landing the Frenchman will be one of Arsenal’s biggest transfer regrets.
Thierry Henry reserved special praise for Antoine Griezmann before Euro 2024
Griezmann is a key part of the France side competing at Euro 2024, but with all the attention on Mbappe, the Atletico Madrid star often goes under the radar.
Speaking in March, Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry claimed that Griezmann was the most underrated player in the world.
“We must not forget Griezmann, who reminds us that hard work is a talent,’ Henry stated, via French outlet Le Parisien.
“Griezmann is by far the most underrated player in existence. We often talk about Kylian, so much so that I am even in favour of abusing him. But Griezmann… look at his passes and his goals.
“Tell me who in history could play all four offensive positions like him? There aren’t many… Grizou is one of them!”
Griezmann is now 33, but in the last two years he has perhaps been better than ever. A difficult spell at Barcelona in between a legendary period at Atletico Madrid saw him thrive as a striker, winger and now as a midfielder.
Even at his age now, the prospect of Griezmann lining up alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard in the Arsenal midfield is a frightening one, and if he had moved to the Emirates all those years ago, he could have become a club legend in North London.