Dejan Kulusevski’s representatives thought he was joining Arsenal during the January transfer window before Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur snatched the former Juventus ace from under Mikel Arteta’s nose, according to The Athletic.
Revenge, as they say, is a dish best served cold. Or, for that matter, in summer transfer market when a centre-forward of immense potential is up for grabs.
And while the disappointment of missing out on Kulusevski will linger on for the time being – few players in recent times have made such an immediate, transformative impact in England’s top flight – Arsenal certainly got their own back on their white-clad rivals when they fought off competition from Spurs to land Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus a fortnight ago.
Whether Jesus can emulate Kulusevski’s impact in North London, however, remains to be seen. The silky Swede is a major reason why Tottenham – rather than Arsenal – will be playing Champions League football in 2022/23 after all.
Dejan Kulusevski was an Arsenal target before he joined Tottenham
“I think he is showing that he is a fantastic player for the present. But also, if he continues in this way, he can become a really important player (in the future too),” Spurs boss Antonio Conte says of Kulusevski, who can turn his loan deal into a permanent transfer for a bargain fee of £25 million (Football London).
“He is strong, physically good technically. He has no fear of the opponent. I am happy for this.”
According to The Athletic, Kulusevski’s representatives expected the 2020 Serie A Young Player of the Year to join Arsenal instead, right up until the final few hours of the January transfer window.
And this is not the first time The Gunners saw a boyhood Arsenal fan slip through their fingers either.
Arsenal had been tracking Kulusevski for a number of years, per Goal, long before he struck up a potent partnership with Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son in Tottenham white. The Stockholm-born starlet turned down a move to North London back in 2016. He joined Atalanta instead, for a pocket change fee of £86,000 no less.
In 14 Premier League starts, Kulusevski has a combined 13 goals and assists to his name already.
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