Arsenal’s transfer window in 2021 saw them bring in successes such as Ben White and Martin Odegaard, but it has now emerged that they were on the verge of another signing.
The window was the true start of Mikel Arteta’s project centred around younger players, and helped lay the foundations for the team that is currently challenging for the title.
Aaron Ramsdale, White, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Martin Odegaard all arrived with mixed results, but Arteta also wanted to add a Spain International to this list.
Arteta wanted Carlos Soler at Arsenal
Dani Ceballos left Arsenal after two years at the club on loan, and Arteta wanted then-Valencia midfielder Carlos Soler to replace him.
A report from Football Transfers has now revealed that Arsenal had agreed terms with the central midfielder, but Valencia changed their asking price, and the deal ultimately collapsed.
Negotiations went well with his representatives Promeosport, who also represent reported target Geny Catamo, but Valencia blocked the deal from going through.
Did Arsenal miss out on Carlos Soler?
Soler would go on to join Paris Saint-Germain a year later, and is now valued at £26m by CIES Football Observatory.
In the 2021-22 season, Arsenal narrowly missed out on a top four spot as Albert Sambi Lokonga failed to deputise for Thomas Partey. Having someone with Soler’s quality could have made a huge difference.
Soler scored 12 and assisted five times for a struggling Valencia side that season, and would have been a fine addition to Arsenal’s midfield.
Even now, the 14-cap Spain star has made 42 appearances for PSG, and he could have been a starter alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, providing both elite passing ability and output from central areas.
It is unclear if Arsenal will try and sign the 26-year-old again, but now he is coming into his prime years, the club may look back on this deal with a bit of regret.
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