Football news - Arsenal came close to Juan Mata signing in 2011 says former chief scout
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Published 12/04/2020 at 20:05 GMT
Arsenal came close to signing Juan Mata as a like-for-like replacement for Cesc Fabregas in 2011, according to the club's former head scout Francis Cagigao.
Mata, Manchester United
Image credit: Eurosport
Fabregas left the Gunners for Barcelona days before the start of the 2011/12 season at the end of a protracted transfer saga, the first in a series of high-profile departures that former boss Arsene Wenger struggled to replace.
Mata, who was playing for Valencia at the time, was seen as the perfect recruit to plug the gap, but the transfer failed to materialise.
But former chief scout Cagigao, who headed up the club's recruitment operation for 23 years, says it wasn't for want of trying on the club's part.
He said: "The idea was for Arsenal to acquire like-for-like replacements and still turn a profit. Unfortunately, the club were not able to complete the deals — Mata went to Chelsea and Cazorla joined Malaga."
Cagigao claims he also identified Santi Cazorla, then at Villarreal, as another potential signing.
Unfortunately for Arsenal, Mata moved on to Chelsea in 2011, while Cazorla joined Malaga, before eventually moving to the Emirates for £25m 12 months later.
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