Former Chelsea and Manchester City star Shaun Wright-Phillips has admitted he could have followed in his father Ian Wright's footsteps and played for Arsenal but for a delay from Arsene Wenger.
In the summer of 2005, Wright-Phillips was a wanted man having bagged 11 goals in 33 Premier League appearances the season just gone. There was an assumption, considering his family's ties to Arsenal, that Wright-Phillips would represent the Gunners.
But instead, he would go on to link up with Jose Mourinho where he would win the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup. However, it is not like Arsenal was not on the table and but for City's need to sell quickly, the winger could have followed in his father's footsteps.
Explaining what happened to sportscasting.com, the 43-year-old explained: "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 was always excited, but he just wanted it done.
Shaun Wright-Phillips in action for Chelsea against Arsenal
Shaun Wright-Phillips in action for Chelsea against Arsenal
"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.’"
Wright-Phillips would return to City in 2008 before departing again in 2011 for Queen's Park Rangers. The forward would finish his career in the US representing New York Red Bulls, Arizona United and finally Phoenix Rising.
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