Getty Images
Former Chelsea player Shaun Wright-Phillips has been speaking about his move to Chelsea in 2005
Former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has revealed that he almost joined Arsenal but the Gunners’ lack of urgency to secure a deal saw Chelsea swoop for the ex-England international.
Wright-Phillips was a player in demand in the summer of 2005 after being named in the PFA Team of the Year for the 2004-05 season, with both Chelsea and Arsenal interested in the Greenwich-born man, who had also been linked with the likes of Liverpool. He would move to the Blues in a £21m deal because Gunners boss Arsene Wenger was not willing to sanction a move until the January transfer window. That allowed Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho to swoop for the winger. The now 43-year-old won the Premier League in his first season at Stamford Bridge and was also part of the side that clinched the FA Cup in 2007. He left Chelsea to return to Man City in 2008 before moving back to London with Queens Park Rangers in 2011.
Wright-Phillips said of his switch to Stamford Bridge: “Yeah, there was an opportunity to join Arsenal. Arsenal were the first movers in terms of when I first left City. The only reason it didn't happen is because Arsene Wenger wanted to wait until January, and I think City needed it to happen right away, because it wasn't something that me or my agent at that time forced. It was something that the club had to make happen in terms of they would have gone into administration if they didn't sell me.
“So, if Arsene Wenger had just said ‘Okay, we will take him now,’ I most probably would have played for Arsene rather than Jose Mourinho at Chelsea. My dad (Arsenal legend Ian Wright) was always excited, but he just wanted it done. He's just always brought me up in football with the mindset that you always strike while the iron's hot because you could go on a pitch the next week and break your ankle. When we were going to Chelsea, when we were walking down to Stamford Bridge, he was mad excited. And he was like, ‘What's wrong with you? Somebody stole your wallet or something?’ I replied: ‘I'm just a lot more chilled than you are.’ Arsenal was a sliding doors moment for me.”
Wright-Phillips also reserved some praise for fellow winger Bukayo Saka - branding him as one of the top five wingers in Premier League history. The 23-year-old has nine goals and 12 assists in 22 appearances in all competitions this season as Wright-Phillips added: “I would say in terms of wingers, he's probably in the top five wingers that's ever played in the Premier League in terms of what they're putting out there on the pitch, game after game after game. He's probably one of the least rested Arsenal players, and people always want to see players do well consistently, that’s what he does season after season. That's what everybody wants to see. He can play badly, but he can still score you a goal or create you a chance. Whereas some wingers can play badly and won't affect the game.
“So, we can say, ‘Saka had a quiet game. Oh yeah, it wasn't his greatest game, but he still got an assist and scored a goal.’ He finds a way to leave his mark in every game. That is massive for Arsenal, and it's massive for England. Watching him is beautiful to see and he seems so humble. He just seems like he enjoys football, and that's what you want from your wingers, you want people to get excited. When you talk about wingers, as soon as he gets the ball, the anticipation in the Emirates, people watching him, pundits, wondering, ‘What's he going to do now?’ Then he cuts. There's an edge. I love watching him play.”
Continue Reading