Watford striker Emmanuel Dennis has admitted that he used to be a fan of Premier League rivals Arsenal, speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Friday night’s clash with Brentford.
Claudio Ranieri’s Nigeria international might have had a soft spot for the Gunners but it seems that they liked him as much as he liked them.
Dennis’ agent admitted this week that Arsenal were ‘interested’ in the speedy 24-year-old when he was still plying his trade in Belgium for Club Brugge.
What’s more, Mikel Arteta’s London giants were willing to pay £15 million at the time – a sizeable sum, of course, but one that still felt short of Club Brugge’s prohibitive £25 million asking price.
Arsenal’s interest dried up as Dennis’ form tailed off following a breakthrough 2019/20 season.
And, with his contract expiring, it was Watford who eventually won the race for his signature, parting with a bargain fee of just £3.4 million in June.
Could Arsenal return for Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis?
“I used to be an Arsenal fan,” admits Dennis, one of this season’s breakthrough stars.
“I like Cesc Fabregas. But I’m no more an Arsenal fan. I was so much into Arsenal sometimes I could cry when they lose. That wasn’t good for me.
“So I was like, ‘nah, I’m going to stick to myself and don’t care much because it’s not good for my health’. It’s just me and myself right now.”
Well, him and Watford.
Alongside Moussa Sissoko, Josh King and co, Dennis has been a major plus point of the Claudio Ranieri era at Vicarage Road, following up a Man of the Match performance against Manchester United with similarly eye-catching displays against Leicester City and Chelsea.
In fact, the one-time West Brom target is one of just six players in Premier League history to produce at least five goals and five assists in his first 12 games, joining eric Cantona, Jurgen Klinsmann, Arjen Robben, Andrey Arshavin and Bruno Fernandes in a rather exclusive club.
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