Former Arsenal manager Unai Emery has revealed he preferred to sign Crystal Palace star Wilfred Zaha than Nicolas Pepe.
According to the former Sevilla coach, he held a meeting with the Ivory Coast international but the club's board preferred his country mate in Pepe because he's younger.
Arsenal Pepe from Lille in a £72 million ($87m) deal for a club record deal in 2019.
Pepe, 24, has since scored six goals in 32 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal in 2019-20.
“We signed Pepe," Emery told The Guardian "He’s a good player but we didn’t know his character and he needs time, patience.
"I favoured someone who knew the league and wouldn’t need to adapt. Zaha won games on his own: Tottenham, Manchester City, us. Incredible performances. I told them: ‘This is the player I know and want.’
Recall that Unai Emery was appointed Gunners manager in May 2018 after Arsene Wenger left the club.
The former Paris Saint-Germain coach was sacked in November 2019 after poor performances as the club were out of the top four race.
"I met Zaha and he wanted to come. The club decided Pepe was one for the future. I said: ‘Yes, but we need to win now and this lad wins games.’ He beat us on his own."
Emery added that Palace were also determined to keep hold of their top player.
“It’s also true he was expensive and Palace didn’t want to sell,” Emery said. “There were a series of decisions that had repercussions.”
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