Arsenal came close to signing Adel Taarabt back in 2007 before Tottenham convinced him to do otherwise.
The Benfica star is now enjoying regular playing time in Portugal, but despite showing huge potential in his younger days, it hasn’t been plain sailing as he worked to forge a professional career.
The midfielder joined Tottenham back in 2007, but wasn’t given many opportunities in the first-team like he had initially been promised.
Taarabt eventually ended up leaving Spurs to join QPR where he thoroughly impressed initially, before joining Fulham and AC Milan on loan.
The Moroccan has now confirmed that he believes that Tottenham failed to ‘develop’ him, and that he was set on joining North London rivals Arsenal prior to that switch.
Adel told TalkSport “I signed for Spurs because when I was in France, for us, we were watching the Premier League but it was the top four. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool.
“But to me it was almost all done that I would go to Arsenal and then after Damien Comolli, who was working at [Tottenham], convinced me to come.
“At that time I was playing at France Under-17s and I could have gone to all the big three in any leagues.
“When I signed I said ‘okay, I go there because the project that he showed me, they want to believe, they are picking young players like Gareth Bale, Kyle Walker, they want to do something really good’.
“But, obviously, the first six months to adapt it difficult for me. I don’t think the club was helping me to develop and finish me as a player.”
Arsenal definitely have the better record of bringing youngsters through into the first-team, as well as bringing foreign talents through the ranks such as Hector Bellerin and Cesc Fabregas, and I do wonder if things would have worked out differently for the midfielder if he had chosen the right side of North London instead.
Did Spurs ruin Taarabt?
Patrick
Tottenham didn’t ruin him. He ruined himself with his poor attitude.
He shown what he was really capable of but something always let him down.
Look at him at QPR. He was awesome but then ruined his English career when he threw his toys out his Pram when he was subbed off in front of SAF. He walked out the stadium and got a bus home.
He even managed to get a move to AC and they must’ve seen the same as his previous clubs too.
Happens quiet a lot with youngsters where they think they are better then are and blame everybody else after their career takes a nose dive.
Shame really
How did that work out for you?
If you was any good you would of made it at Spurs. If Arsenal signed you, the same scenario would of occurred.
Glad we dodged that bullet.