Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has stated that Arsene Wenger’s failure to sign Luis Suarez from Liverpool was the biggest mistake in his time at Arsenal.
The Uruguay striker had talked up a move to the Emirates in 2013 but the Gunners didn’t push hard enough to prise him away from Merseyside.
After almost inspiring the Reds to Premier League glory in 2014, Spanish giants Barcelona eventually sealed a £75million deal for his services, and he’s been unstoppable since while Arsenal continue to toil in the number 9 department with Olivier Giroud only managing 12 goals in the league this campaign.
“If you look back at Wenger’s 20 years in English football, there are so many highlights, but that day in July 2013, with the bid that enraged Liverpool, cannot be ignored. Not signing Suarez is the biggest mistake of Wenger’s reign,” Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column.
“He’s always been careful with money, only spending when he is sure he’ll get maximum value. It’s a sign of how stable Wenger is in his job that he can wait and wait. Look at what he did last summer, for instance, when signing goalkeeper Petr Cech from Chelsea but no outfield players.
“Had Arsenal pushed the boundaries for Suarez, perhaps with an offer of £50m, I believe they would have won the Barclays Premier League in two of the last three seasons. That’s the thing about Suarez: whichever team he plays for, he drags them to a higher level.”
The Uruguayan has netted 49 goals for the Blaugrana this term as they sit on the brink of a domestic double after last season’s treble.
