Arsenal’s big Unai Emery transfer mistake still hurts

That horrible time of the calendar has just passed for Arsenal. All affiliated with the club have been left to sit twiddling their thumbs while European football has taken place.

While not being involved in European competition has been a blessing in disguise for Arsenal, allowing them to place all their energy and focus into securing a top four place in the Premier League, it still hurts to watch on.

Nine day breaks between matches might be for the benefit of the team but for supporters it’s a painfully long time.

These extended breaks don’t help either when you watch players involved in Europe who could, and probably should, be playing for your club. While Unai Emery was never the right man for Arsenal, at least he knew a talent or two when he saw them.

Arsenal’s big Unai Emery mistake still hurts as club overruled signing of Christopher Nkunku at PSG, who joined RB Leipzig for £12.5m

Christopher Nkunku is one such player.

Scoring in RB Leipzig’s 2-2 draw with Real Sociedad took his tally this season to a mesmerising 20 goals and 13 assists in all competitions. He is averaging over one goal involvement per game. The Frenchman is one of the form players on the continent, and could have been Arsenal’s for as little as £12.5m.

If only the club had listened to Emery.

Half a season into his tenure Emery wanted to add some creative flair to his squad, earmarking Nkunku, then of PSG, as the man he thought could supply the goals to his forward line. Emery knew Nkunku well from his time in charge in the French capital, and the youngster’s desire for regular minutes meant he was keen on a move away.

Arsenal were less keen. The structure in place was firmly set on Emery being the head coach with transfer dealings dealt with higher up, and they overruled his decision, instead bringing in Denis Suarez on loan in January 2019. He would go on to play 67 minutes of Premier League football. It was a catastrophe of a signing. Bizarre.

When the summer came around Emery refused to give up, returning to the boardroom to push for Nkunku’s signing. The Spaniard tried, just as he had done with Wilfried Zaha, and failed. RB Leipzig would secure his signature for a paltry £12.5m.

Are we over it? No. No we are not.

Nkunku has been in otherworldly form, gradually improving in each of his three seasons in Germany and demonstrating incredible versatility. Capable of playing anywhere across the front, as a second striker, at centre-forward or in the No. 10 role, he is a sight for sore eyes on the pitch and in almost every metric.

His versatility isn’t a hindrance either, as he is incredibly productive in whichever position he plays, and incredible level of technical versatility coupled with an intelligent football brain make him a manager’s dream. There is a combination of elegance and brutality to his game, and he’s just 24 years old.

Will any of this turn back time? No. But if Arsenal had signed Nkunku before Emery would have inevitably still got the sack, at least he would have left supporters with something to remember him by.

It still cuts deep.