The Gunners are left with eggs on their face!
Arsenal reportedly passed on the opportunity to sign Dejan Kulusevski from Juventus during the January transfer window.
The Swede was having a tough time in Turin in the first half of the season, which led to him joining Tottenham Hotspur on a loan deal in January.
He has hit the ground running at Spurs, scoring thrice and assisting six more times in 11 Premier League games.
The Athletic reported that the Gunners were interested in signing Kulusevski on a long-term deal prior to this Spurs switch.
However, the club opted against moving for him due to the presence of Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe in the squad.
In hindsight, the Gunners could now be ruing the decision as the Swedish international shines under Conte in the Premier League.
The winger is currently rated between £58-£74.5 million by CIES Football Observatory. Tottenham could seek to make the loan deal permanent this summer if Kulusevski continues to impress for them.
Speaking about him last month, Conte was full of praise for the player. He said:
“We are talking about an important prospect. He is very young, only 21-years-old and despite his young age, he has good experience with the national team. To play with Juventus for one year and a half, you understand what it means to live with pressure. Probably he could ‘crack’ in the future. Also because I can see the intensity, the will and the desire to play.”
The Italian boss added:
“As everyday in training session he is a type of player in his mind to become a top player in his career. While I am his manager, I try to help him to improve and believe.”
Arsenal and Tottenham compete for Champions League places
Arsenal and Spurs are currently engaged in a fight to finish fourth in the Premier League. Spurs are currently leading the race and are three points ahead of the Gunners, albeit they have played one game more.
Arsenal have a tougher run in as compared to Spurs, with the Gunners yet to play Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham before the end of the season.
Arsenal travel to Southampton this weekend, while Spurs host Brighton and Hove Albion.
