Sunderland great Kevin Phillips has revealed how close he came to joining Arsenal.
He admits former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has now acknowledged he made a mistake in instead buying the then 20-year-old Everton starlet Francis Jeffers, who flopped at Highbury.
Phillips, 46, told The Sun: Arsene Wenger was keen to sign me.
On Monday night, I was at a tribute dinner for him and when I saw him, he made a remark that maybe he should have gone for me instead of Francis Jeffers.
It was a toss-up between me and Francis but because he was a bit younger, he opted for him.
That would have been a dream come true, to play for my boyhood club.
But at least he acknowledges now he perhaps should have gone for me - that makes me sleep easy at night!"
