Russia international Aleksandr Kokorin admits he turned down a move to Premier League giants Arsenal when plying his trade at Dynamo Moscow.
A lot of factors came into Kokorin’s decision.
Arsenal, at the time, were stumbling towards the end of the Arsene Wenger era. A fading force of English football. And Kokorin felt that a move to the Emirates Stadium would have been a step down, especially with a talented Dynamo side containing the likes of Christopher Samba and Matheiu Valbuena reaching the last-16 of the Europa League in 2015 while going toe-to-toe with Italian powerhouses Napoli.
“Listen, at the time, I chose Russia. I thought we were better (than Arsenal),” Kokorin tells Nobel. “I thought; ‘We are in European competition now. We can compete in terms of our squad (strength).’
“Have you seen the Dynamo training ground? The stadium? (The training ground is) the best in the world!”
Arsenal missed out on Russia international Aleksandr Kokorin
Kokorin hit double figures in three successive seasons for Dynamo between 2012 and and 2015. He eventually left for Zenit St Petersburg, winning the Russian Premier League title in 2018/19.
After an ill-fated and goalless stint in Serie A with Fiorentina, Kokorin is now looking to get his career back on track at Cypriot outfit Aris Limassol.
“I have always wanted to go to Europe,” Kokorin adds. “But I wanted to win a trophy (with Dynamo Moscow).”
Around the same time that Arsenal expressed their interest, the then-24-year-old Kokorin was also attracting admiring glances from a number of rival Premier League clubs.
A Tottenham side wondering if Harry Kane could back up an astounding breakthrough campaign. And a Manchester United team on the lookout for a new attacker; Louis van Gaal missing out on Pedro to Chelsea.
“At the moment I am working on the transfer of Kokorin,” his agent said back in 2015. “Manchester United and Tottenham are interested in his services.”
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