Tottenham Hotspur defender Emerson Royal has told ESPN Brazil that Arsenal Technical Director Edu wanted to take him to the Emirates Stadium.
Emerson joined Tottenham from Barcelona in the summer transfer window.
The transfer was completed on the final day of the window.
As reported by BBC Sport, Spurs had to pay €30 million (£25.66m) in transfer fees to secure the services of the 22-year-old Brazil international right-back.
Emerson has now disclosed that Arsenal wanted to sign him before he left Barcelona for Spurs.
The Brazilian has claimed that Arsenal TechnIcal Director Edu actually spoke to him, and was so keen on him that he showed him the Gunners’ project.
Emerson told ESPN Brazil, as translated by Sport Witness: “I actually had a conversation with Edu. I did talk to Edu in the same week.
“And we talked, he showed me the desire of the club and such. And, of course, I needed Barcelona, I couldn’t settle anything with anyone, Barcelona had to deal club to club. And that’s where Barcelona went and found deal with Tottenham.
“I also got to talk to Tottenham, at first I didn’t have any verbal agreement with anyone. And that’s when Barcelona told me that they had made an agreement with Tottenham.
“I listened to the proposal, for me it was a good proposal, not only financial, for me that’s what counts least, but it had a very good career project for me. So this is why I chose to come to Tottenham.”
Arsenal did sign a right-back on summer transfer deadline day.
Takehiro Tomiyasu joined the Gunners from Bologna.
The 22-year-old Japan international is a versatile defender who can operate as a right-back or as a centre-back.
Tomiyasu is doing well at right-back for Arsenal, and even some Tottenham fans have been impressed by him.
Emerson has done relatively well, but you get the sense that it could have been better.
Perhaps in the coming weeks, Emerson will show why Edu wanted him so badly at Arsenal.
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