Arsenal hero Ian Wright left shocked by Arsene Wenger's transfer revelation

Arsenal icon Ian Wright was left shocked by an Arsene Wenger transfer revelation which involved Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka.

Wenger spent a sensational 22 years at the north London club, in which time the Gunners won three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups and seven Community Shields. 

The French boss was also involved in some of the biggest transfers in Premier League history, signing the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira and Cesc Fabregas, while also selling Robin van Persie and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

But it was a set of transfer dealings that took place back in 1999, which involved Henry and Anelka that left Wright wanting to know more. 

Anelka’s move away from the north London club to join Spanish giants Real Madrid caused great controversy at the time, with the France international tipped to become one of the best strikers in the world. 

Henry, who arrived shortly after Anelka’s departure, went on to surpass his international teammates’ feats at Arsenal, scoring 174 times in 254 matches. 

But Wenger has now revealed that his plan was to keep both players.

‘You know what I wanted to ask you, because it was something that I was always really quite disappointed it never happened – with Anelka and Henry,’ Wright said on Wrighty’s House.

‘Did you always have Henry to come there, because Anelka just left us, was your plan to have those two together?’

To which Wenger responded: ‘Yeah.’

Wright added: ‘Would Anelka have played nine then, and Henry have stuck there [out wide]?’

‘Yeah, exactly that!,’ Wenger said.

‘I knew it you know, I just knew it. My head is blown,’ Wright revealed. 

The former Gunners boss then joked: ‘We had Bergkamp as well you know.’

Speaking at a recent charity event, Wenger revealed that letting Anelka go was the biggest regret of his career. 

‘My biggest regret and shame is that Anelka left. He could have been special, instead he played for 13 clubs,’ he said.

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