Wenger once blocked a top Premier League striker from joining Arsenal

A former Premier League striker disclosed that he was close to signing for Arsenal, but the transfer fell through at the final stage when Arsene Wenger considered the wage request excessive.

Ex-striker Wilfried Bony recently shared an untold story about a high-profile transfer in 2015, when he nearly became one of Arsene Wenger’s players at Arsenal but eventually signed for Manchester City due to wages beyond Arsenal’s budget.

In 2014, Bony was among the Premier League’s top scorers. Playing for Swansea City, the Ivorian striker scored 20 goals in the calendar year, surpassing stars like Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane, and Diego Costa.

His impressive form attracted attention from several big clubs, including Arsenal, Tottenham, and Manchester City. Bony said he always dreamed of playing under Wenger:

“Three clubs wanted to sign me after my first season at Swansea: Arsenal, Tottenham, and Man City. I wanted to join Arsenal because I liked their style of play. I met Mr. Wenger at Swansea, but when he learned my wage demands, he just said, ‘That figure is too high for us.’”

At that time, Man City offered a £100,000 weekly wage plus a £25 million transfer fee, making Bony the most expensive African player in history at that point. He signed just before the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, which Bony and Ivory Coast went on to win.

However, his dream at the Etihad quickly turned into a nightmare. After returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, Bony struggled with fitness issues and recurring injuries. He shared: “I was only fully fit for three months out of 18 at City. The competition there was fierce, and if you’re not performing, they immediately look for someone else.”

Over two seasons, Bony scored just 10 goals in 46 appearances before being loaned to Stoke City and then returning to Swansea in 2017. Despite this, he never regained his peak form.

After eight years of playing across Europe, the Middle East, and South America, Bony admitted he still regrets that his dream of joining Arsenal ended only in negotiations.

“I have always admired Arsenal. If that transfer had gone through, my career might have been very different.”