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Arsene Wenger recalled how he snatched Danny Welbeck from Tottenham’s noses, all while queuing for an audience with the Pope.
The former Arsenal manager brought Manchester United forward Welbeck to Emirates Stadium on the deadline day at the end of the 2014 summer transfer window.
When negotiations reached a delicate stage, with Welbeck almost certain to join Arsenal’s rivals in north London, Wenger rose early in Rome to meet Pope Francis before the Party for Peace, an interfaith charity game. .
Despite being in line to see the Pope, Wenger was able to influence the transfer talks and ensure Welbeck signed for Arsenal on a £ 16 million deal.
Speaking on the Ornstein and Chapman Podcast while promoting their new autobiography, Wenger recalled: ‘Danny Welbeck when I went to the Peace Party.
At the airport they told me he was signing for Tottenham and I managed to intercept him. It was a funny story because I was negotiating all day.
‘We had Ivan [Gazidis] and Dick Law to negotiate and they called me and had the agent on the phone.
And I said: ‘Look, I have to hang up because I’m in front of the Pope.’
‘He told me that? ‘I said’ Yes’ because we were lining up to have a photo with the Pope in a private audience, and I was at the end of the line because I had to speak and negotiate.
I arrived in front of the Pope and I had to say: ‘Look, that is no longer possible. Now I will meet with the Pope.
And we still sign it.
Pope Francis was present as Wenger led a team that included Diego Maradona.
At the time, Wenger said the Welbeck deal would not have happened if he hadn’t gotten up early that day to fly to Rome.
Because United signed Radamel Falcao from Monaco that day, their coach Louis van Gaal was willing to ditch one of his other forwards.
Welbeck was initially only available on loan, which would have been Arsenal’s preferred option, but when a permanent move was raised, they didn’t hesitate.
Wenger said at the time: ‘If I hadn’t traveled that day, Welbeck wouldn’t be here. The advantage of that day was that I had to get up at six in the morning and I was available all day.
“We are in 2014 and you can always be in contact with everyone, even when you travel.
“Meeting the Pope was an experience that I did not want to miss. I am a Catholic and the invitation was something I accepted a long time ago.
‘On top of that, it was a game for peace and multi-religious understanding. I thought that today, when we are a little at the forefront of an international religious war, it was a very important game.
“The Pope is a great person to meet because he shows humility and has a word with everyone. He is a soccer fan.
‘You cannot be born in Argentina and not be a soccer fan. He is a fan of San Lorenzo in Argentina. ‘
Wenger’s team lost the Match for Peace 6-3 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome.
Welbeck, just released by championship club Watford, scored 32 goals in 126 games during his five seasons with Arsenal.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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