Arsenal have missed out on some fantastic signings over the years.
Indeed, the Gunners have a long list of players they nearly signed at one point or another.
Alexander Isak nearly signed for Arsenal before becoming a Premier League superstar, while Xabi Alonso could’ve joined Arsenal at one point.
However, perhaps the most famous story of a player missing out on a transfer to Arsenal was back in 2013 when Arsenal made a £40m +£1 bid for Luis Suarez.
Speaking on Inside Arsenal, former Gunners chief, Richard Law, has now shared the story of Suarez’s near miss with Arsenal, claiming that Steven Gerrard was the big reason the Uruguayan never came to the Emirates.
According to Law, Arsenal had already agreed some of the finer details of this deal.
The transfer boss says that Arsenal and Suarez had agreed a salary, and that all that was left to do was to agree a deal with Liverpool.
However, apparently, Steven Gerrard interfered in this situation, speaking to Suarez about this move and halting the transfer.
“We had already settled on the player’s salary,” Law said.
“So that part of the equation was off the table. Suarez said he wanted to come. We had already negotiated what his salary was going to be. So the remaining piece was Liverpool
“I think the real crunch. And that this will probably add a little bit of spice and this is hearsay. So Arsenal fans, please don’t take this as a fact. But what I was told was that Steven Gerrard came to Suarez, pulled him aside, put his put his arm around him and he says, “Listen, Arsenal aren’t a big enough club for you. How can you you know how can you go to a lower club than Liverpool?’ And I think I think if there was any reason, this part I believe, if there was any reason that Suarez stayed another year, it was down to Gerrard.
Law says that this rumour about Gerrard talking Suarez out of a move to Arsenal was hearsay, but Suarez himself has admitted that this was indeed the case.
Speaking on a livestream last year, Suarez admitted that it was Gerrard who talked him out of this deal.
“In 2013 I wanted to join Arsenal, because Arsenal played every year in the Champions League,” Suarez said.
“They were willing to pay a lot for me, but in England, it wouldn’t have looked good to swap Liverpool for Arsenal.
“One day Gerrard came to me and said: ‘Listen to me, I could have gone to Madrid or another team, but the best decision is for you to stay and not go to Arsenal, it won’t do you any good.
“‘Stay and next year you will get offers from bigger clubs like Barcelona, Madrid and Bayern. And then you can decide. But don’t join Arsenal. Stay for another season.’”
Much to the annoyance of Arsenal, Gerrard’s advice proved to be spot on.
Suarez stayed at Liverpool for one more year, and the very next summer he got a huge move to Barcelona where he reached the peak of his career winning numerous trophies with the Spanish giants.
