Alex Song wanted a return to Arsenal before joining West Ham on loan from Barcelona this summer.
The Cameroon international was keen on a move back to the Emirates and revealed he only left the Gunners because he had won nothing and was growing tired of seeing the club sell their star players.
Speaking to L’Equipe, as reported by the Daily Mirror yesterday, Song said:
‘I would like to have gone back (to Arsenal) but they didn’t want it. That’s life.
‘I don’t hold any grudges against them. Cesc Fabregas equally wanted to go back to Arsenal but they did not want to take up the option to buy him.’
He added:
‘I had been there a long time but won nothing. Every year, we lost our best players – Cesc, Robin (Van Persie), Samir (Nasri). If the club had kept everyone, Arsenal would have been champions during that time.’
Song joined Arsenal from Bastia in 2005 and made a total of 204 appearances in all competitions before sealing a £15 million move to Barcelona in summer 2012.
However, the 27-year-old has now seen much game time in a Barca shirt but says he couldn’t turn down the chance to play for the La Liga giants:
‘I had the chance to go to Barca. And you don’t turn that down. You only get that chance once.’
Song revealed that although he could have played Champions League football in Italy with Napoli or Roma or in Turkey, his priority was to come back to England where he made his name:
‘I could have played in the Champions League in Italy with Napoli or Roma or in Turkey. I could have played in France too at Marseille.
‘But my priority was to come back to England. For me and for the family. We feel good here. I have discovered a club that I didn’t know and with whom it is going rather well.’
The former Gunner wants to play Champions League football next season but not with Barcelona
‘Of course. But not at Barcelona. My future is in England.’
Taking this all into account, should Arsene Wenger seriously consider bringing Song back to the Emirates over the summer?
The defensive midfielder wanted to come back to Arsenal and I was very surprised when I heard Wenger snubbed the idea as we currently lack depth in this department of the squad.
Funnily enough, we are currently being linked with a few names that can protect the back four, which makes it even more puzzling as to why we just didn’t bring him back this summer – even on a season-long loan!
Song has been a revelation for West Ham this season and with the Hammers unlikely to seal a top four finish, the midfielder will be looking for a club that will be playing in the Champions League, preferably one in England.
It would make good business sense, and he’s a player that knows the club and playing system inside out.
If his future lies in England, then why not be with Arsenal?
Some Of These Players Could Quite Possibly Have Ended Up Satisfied Just Playing For Some Mediocre Clubs In Obscure Leagues Had Wenger Not Literally Picked Them Up At Next To No Value At All And Gave Them The Opportunity Which They Would Not Have Had In The So Called Big Clubs.
Even Through Their Raw Kindergatten Years In The Club, Wenger Actually Gave Them The UCL Experience And Limelight And Nurtured Them Into Stars With Patience And Sometimes Even Getting The Stick From Irate Fans So Impatient With Their Development.
When They Are Expected To Repay Patience To The Club And The Man Who Showed Great Patience With Them, What You Hear Is That They Could Not Resist The Offer To Join The So Called Big Clubs. As If This Is A Small Club.
Don’t Forget That Some Of Them Actually Forced Their Transfers In Acrimonious Circumstances.
After Failing At The New Clubs, They Resort To The Press With Sentiments. Remember Alek Hleb?
My Position Is That No Such Player No Matter How Good, Should Be Given A Second Chance
well said victor
Why do you start every word with a capital letter?
I do not know the actual reason we rejected the opportunity of resigned the two duo .If we had acted smart we would not have been in this mess we found our self Every years the Chelsea man u’s are sure of beat king us whenever we meet any of them,Even gunner do not have confident when we face any of them. Even I hate the timid defending style arsenal is playing nowadays it’s full of pressure Although I bye the example raise by the follows that upon the patients we have for them when they were coming up they never pay us back but we should not close our eyes at them expecialy when we still need them .In ace of fabrega it is a slap on our face to see him in Chelsea color Pl let move on gunner!!!
yer everything depend on the situation were it is,it is true that the way alex-song and csec frabregaze left gooners was really unexpected and even painful so we can’t just hold that as an evidence we all know that a future players i mean a talented players whose av an intention to carry a truphy can’t wait for complently two or three seasone in a team without truphy so we can put this to consideration because of the problem we’re faceing now so it will even add more striength to our squad and for the champione leage and i will be happy if i see him in our squad in this tansfer macket.
We want him like mad
How can it be wrong to bring back to Arsenal…… TALENT, we want strong ambitious players on our team and after years of good service to the club I don’t see anything wrong with them spreading their wings and trying other teams, its like seeing if the grass is greener……….with age and experience we all find out this is rarely the case. Bring back fabulous Cesc and strong Song I believe they will never leave us again.