Key Takeaways
Emmanuel Petit nearly signed with Tottenham in 1997 and met with Lord Alan Sugar in London.
Arsenal caught wind of the meeting and convinced the Frenchman to make the move to Highbury.
Petit would go on to win the Premier League and FA Cup in his first season.
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has revealed that he was close to signing for arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur before the Gunners swooped in at the last minute to hijack the deal. The Frenchman was an imposing midfielder in his prime. Blessed with physical prowess and unquestionable technical talent, the former World Cup winner would become a crucial part of what many believe to be one of the best Premier League sides in history.
Alongside compatriot Patrick Vieira, the pair made a formidable partnership in the centre of the park. However, had history played out differently, Petit could've been wearing the Lilywhites' famous colours instead, as the man himself revealed.
Petit Discusses Meeting With Tottenham
The midfielder flew to London to meet with Lord Alan Sugar
As legend has it, Petit was in London, meeting with Tottenham chairman Alan Sugar to discuss a possible transfer from Monaco to the Premier League. As negotiations progressed, Arsenal caught wind of the talks and swiftly sent a message to the player, advising him not to commit to anything with Spurs before listening to what Arsene Wenger had to say about the ambitious future he was planning for Arsenal at Highbury.
Given that Wenger had been pivotal in the midfielder's development at Monaco and had a reputation for nurturing talent, Petit was intrigued by the prospect of working with his former mentor again. Wanting to weigh his options carefully, he requested some time from Sugar to think over the offer, retreating to his hotel to consider his next move.
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Across his time at Monaco and Arsenal, Petit featured 320 times under Arsene Wenger.
Speaking to talkSPORT, the 53-year-old explained what happened in his meeting with Tottenham's representatives, and how it came to be that he ended up joining their north London enemies instead after they paid for his taxi to Highbury:
"I had meetings on the same day with Tottenham and Arsenal and had a meeting with Tottenham in the morning, but when I came to England I didn’t know about the rivalry between the two clubs.
"When I left the Spurs stadium, they booked me a cab and the cab driver asked me for directions, so I gave him the Arsenal address and I didn’t realise that the cab was pre-paid by Spurs, so they knew where I was going!
"I’d told Spurs that I needed time to think about it but knew that I had to see Arsenal, as well as other clubs in Italy and Spain. I told everyone that I’d make my mind up and when I knew the answer I would give it, but after a couple of days I signed for Arsenal and it went into newspapers and all of a sudden the story came. I realised the pressure of the rivalry then."
The decision would ultimately pay dividends, as Petit would go on to grab silverware that very season for both club and country. Spurs on the other hand would finish in 14th, just four points off of the relegation zone. Instead of the eventual Arsenal signee, Sugar's money would finance other big-name arrivals, including Les Ferdinand and David Ginola from Newcastle off the back of the pair running Manchester United close in the title race during the 'I will love it if we beat them' season.
There was also the shock signing of German legend Jurgen Klinsmann, who brought his iconic goal celebration with him to the white side of north London.
Petit's Arsenal Career
The midfielder spent three seasons at the club
Petit's decision to make the move to Highbury was immediately justified as the Frenchman would go on to claim his first and only Premier League title that very season. That campaign brought a league and cup double to the red side of north London, with the French superstar playing 44 times and chipping in with two goals and nine assists.
Unfortunately, that would be the only pieces of major silverware that Petit would lift for the Gunners, as Manchester United's dominant treble the season after was followed by another successful title defence, while Chelsea would be crowned FA Cup winners in 2000.
After winning the European Championships in the new millennium, Petit would end his short but sweet stay at the club by moving to Barcelona. He left after making 118 appearances for the club, scoring 11 times and adding another 24 assists. He would return to England to finish up his career at Chelsea, finishing with a legacy as one of his country's greatest ever midfielder operators.