Arsenal are no strangers to having deals hijacked. This is with Mykhailo Mudryk going to Chelsea last season being a prime example.
But the Gunners have done it to their biggest rivals, too. This is including one of the most outrageous hijacks in the Premier League era.
Who was hijacked by Arsenal that window
Club legend Arsene Wenger had been appointed as manager in 1996 and was looking to begin a new era at Highbury. This is with Monaco midfielder Emmanuel Petit appearing on his radar as he set to work.
in 1997, though, Petit was already in talks with rivals Tottenham and was in London. He was talking to then-chairman Alan Sugar about signing from Monaco.
However, the Gunners got in touch to tell the midfielder he should hold off agreeing to sign for Spurs until he spoke to Wenger. He is the man who brought him through at Monaco – and hear his proposal.
Clearly interested in pushing to win the Premier League title and reunite with his compatriot. Petit asked Sugar if he could go back to his hotel to mull the Spurs offer over.
Agreeing to Petit’s request, the club then paid for the taxi to drive him back. However, unbeknown to them, the midfielder redirected the cab to Wenger’s house. This is where he and vice-chairman David Dein were waiting.
“It was the first time I met David Dein and Tottenham paid for the cab to help me sign for Arsenal,” Petit – who went on to win four trophies with Arsenal in three years – said in 2018 when asked about the transfer.
“It’s part of the legend now.
“I knew the rivalry but not how big it was. David Dein still loves that story – and [more than] 20 years later he’s still telling it!”
Arsenal and Petit then went on to win a lot of trophies together.
