Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
‘Arsenal should have signed him before he joined Chelsea: he met Wenger’ - Smith EXCLUSIVE
ARSENAL should have signed Gary Cahill before he joined Chelsea - but they should NOT go back in for him in the upcoming January transfer window.
That is according to former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith.
Cahill was heavily linked with the Gunners before he signed for Chelsea from Bolton in January 2012.
**PREDICT FIVE RESULTS AND WIN £25,000 - FREE TO PLAY HERE**
Smith says the centre-back had a meeting with former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger but a deal failed to materialise.
Cahill has gone on to win six major honours with the Blues including the Champions League in his first season at the club.
Arsenal should have signed Gary Cahill before he went to Chelsea
The 32-year-old is the current club captain at Stamford Bridge but has found game time seriously limited under Maurizio Sarri this term.
He has only featured once in the Premier League so far and will be allowed to leave in January.
Arsenal have once again been linked with Cahill as they look to cover for the season-ending injury to Rob Holding.
Konstantinos Mavropanos is also yet to feature for Arsenal this season due to a groin injury.
TRANSFER NEWS LIVE UPDATES - FOLLOW THE LATEST HERE
Smith admits Cahill has had a fine career since choosing Chelsea ahead of Arsenal.
But he does not think it would be a good piece of business by Unai Emery to sign him next month.
“Arsenal should have signed Gary Cahill before he went to Chelsea,” Smith told Express Sport.
“He spoke and had a meeting with Arsene Wenger and it didn’t happen.
“But he went on to become a fine, fine defender.
“Now you’d be signing somebody who’s in his latter years and is not at his peak.
“I don’t see that as a goer.”
Alan Smith’s autobiography Heads Up: My Life Story is available now at Amazon and Waterstones