Arsenal fans name the player they most regret not signing

Zlatan, Drogba & Suarez: The ones that got away

Arsenal have a history of missing out on high-profile players over the years, but there’s one in particular that Gunners supporters most rue the club not signing.

As many as 30,106 fans responded to a 90min poll asking which failed transfer target supporters would most like to have seen actually sign on the dotted line and join the club.

And Barcelona favourite Luiz Suarez was the overwhelming favourite taking a very substantial 65% of the vote.

Arsene Wenger had tried to buy the Uruguayan from Liverpool in the summer of 2013, famously offering the oddly precise sum of £40,000,001 in order to try and trigger a specific clause in the player’s contract.

Luis Suarez named as Arsenal's biggest transfer miss

Liverpool denied the Gunners the opportunity to speak to Suarez and convinced him to stay for one more year. That season saw him score 31 times in only 33 Premier League appearances as Liverpool only narrowly missed out on the title, prompting the Uruguayan to make a £75m move to Barcelona.

Arsenal fans are also disappointed about not landing Zlatan Ibrahimovic earlier in his career, with 17% saying the Swede’s non-arrival is their biggest source of disappointment.

Now of course with Manchester United, Ibrahimovic was invited to spend some time with the Gunners when he was still only a teenager playing for hometown club Malmo. But the youngster infamously refused a trial when he was asked to stay a little longer and later joined Ajax.

The 34-year-old was also linked with a move to north London before deciding his future this summer and would have addressed the need for a new striker.

Jamie Vardy was another big name who rejected Arsenal this summer, opting to stay with Leicester rather than accept a £20m move. Just 7% of fans would most like to have seen the former non-league star in a Gunners shirt, the same as chose Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.

Manchester City powerhouse Yaya Toure was the player chosen by the fewest, commanding just 4% of the total poll vote.

 

Jamie Spencer

 

For more fan views or to join the conversation visit www.90min.com