Arsenal have missed out on some great players in the past, but they may count themselves lucky that a deal to sign Jean-Philippe Gbamin never materialised.
The midfielder joined Everton in 2019 for around £25m from FC Mainz, and made just eight appearances in four years before terminating his contract this summer.
The 28-year-old was signed by the Toffees as a defensive midfielder to replace Idrissa Gana Gueye, but he could have ended up at Arsenal instead.
Gbamin’s agent, Bernard Collignon, has now claimed that Arsenal wanted to sign the Ivorian, but a decision had been made to join a club lower down the table instead.
Gbamin could have joined Arsenal
Speaking to The Guardian, Collignon revealed that Arsenal, as well as other Premier League rivals, were interested in signing Gbamin from FC Mainz.
“Arsenal and Tottenham wanted Jean-Philippe in 2019,” Collignon stated.
“Jürgen Klopp, who managed Mainz, had wanted JP before signing Fabinho. But we chose Everton because if you arrive straight away at a big club in England, it’s very difficult to make it.”
Arsenal’s interest in Gbamin
Arsenal’s interest in the midfielder was in a window where Unai Emery was keen on adding bodies to his midfield.
Dani Ceballos joined on loan from Real Madrid instead, joining a roster of Granit Xhaka, Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi, and Aaron Ramsey had departed for Juventus in that summer window.
Gbamin was perhaps seen as someone who could add steel to the midfield, but given his spell at Everton, which has been branded a “disaster,” Arsenal dodged a massive bullet in 2019.
Arsenal would go on to have a poor season, finishing in eighth place and dismissing Emery , but Gbamin was not someone who would have changed this dramatically.
Arsenal now have a thriving midfield roster, with Declan Rice particularly impressing since his record arrival from West Ham, and Gbamin is now without a club in what should be his prime years.
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