‘I’m a huge Arsenal transfer flop – this is why my dream move turned sour’

The name Denis Suarez still sends a shiver down the spine of any Arsenal fan who remembers his ill-fated loan spell at the club, but the player himself insists he harbours no regrets about his stay in north London.

After failing to persuade the club’s board to sign Christopher Nkunku from Paris Saint-Germain, Unai Emery was forc to settle for the loan signing of his compatriot in the winter of 2019.

Arsenal, at the time, were handily plac to qualify for the Champions League and were on the way to making the Europa League final.

A late season collapse, however, saw the Gunners miss out on the top four before suffering a humiliating 4-1 defeat against Chelsea in Baku that cost them a place in Europe’s top tier competition.

Had Arsenal shown more ambition in that January transfer window, Unai Emery’s career may have panned out very differently.

His one January recruit, Suarez, was able ทางเข้า ufabet https://ufabet999.app only to make six appearances and failed to make a solitary start due to various fitness issues.

‘It was such a shame, honestly,’ the 30-year-old tells The Athletic. ‘I arrived at Arsenal and had physical problems.

‘I wasn’t able to reach my normal level, no matter how much I tried. It would have been different if I had fit and able to compete. But it just didn’t work out.’

He added: ‘I thought the club was fantastic. ‘It’s a privilege to be able to say that I played for Arsenal, one of the greatest clubs in the world.

‘It was disappointing for me, but also for Unai. ‘I know he was criticis for signing me, because he requested me and rejected other options because he knew me.’

Arsenal are currently thriving under Mikel Arteta, but Emery too has rebuilt his reputation, firstly at Suarez’s current club, Villarreal, before steering Aston Villa to Champions League qualification in his first full season.

‘Unai is a top coach and I think he was treated very unfairly at Arsenal,’ says Suarez of his former manager.